Defense grills main witness

In hopes of gaining leniency during his own trial, an admitted killer testified for prosecutors Monday in the trial of a Long Beach man accused of slaying a Newport Beach couple in 2004.

In possibly the most important testimony of the trial, Alonso Machain maintained during hours of cross examination by the defense Monday that the defendant, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, helped him and another man kill Newport Beach couple Tom and Jackie Hawks out at sea in 2004.

Kennedy is charged with two murders and enhancements for doing it for financial gain. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

Machain is the only witness for prosecutors who can put Kennedy on the boat at the time of the killings.

Monday was the defense attorneys’ chance to cross-examine Machain, who testified all Thursday afternoon for prosecutors.

Winston McKesson, one of Kennedy’s attorneys, immediately jumped on the fact that Machain was testifying in hopes of leniency in an apparent attempt to discredit his testimony.

From the beginning, Machain testified, he lied to Newport Beach police about his involvement in the Hawkses’ death. After several early interviews, Machain fled to Mexico, where he would remain until he had hired a lawyer. He worked out a deal with prosecutors to testify against the others involved if they would take the death penalty off the table in his case, he testified.

“You don’t want to face the music for murder, do you?” McKesson asked him.

“No, sir,” Machain replied on the stand.

“You’re only concerned with Alonso Machain.”

“Yes, sir.”

In so many different ways, sometimes theatrically, McKesson reiterated for jurors that Machain lied to police from the beginning of the investigation. He called Machain a greedy, selfish individual who did not care about his victims or their families, and only wanted the money from the Hawkses’ death and to save himself after he was caught.

Prosecutors do not have phone records linking Kennedy to Machain or the other convicted killer, Skylar Deleon. There is also no physical evidence putting Kennedy on the boat. What Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Matt Murphy does have is phone records showing Kennedy’s cell phone was likely in the area of Newport Harbor the day of the killings and Machain and the accused middle man, Myron Gardner, saying he took part in the crime. Machain maintained that while he’s hoping for leniency, he’s also doing it to clear his conscience.

“How do you feel about what you did?” Murphy asked him.

Machain paused, looked at the jury, stared at the ground, then answered, his voice cracking with emotion.

“It’s something I have to live with the rest of my life. I can’t begin to explain how embarrassed I am and say, ‘Yes, I helped with the murder of two innocent people,’” he told jurors. “I’m sorry.”

McKesson pounced on Machain a second time shortly after.

“Even as we go through these trials, these proceedings, this horrible crime you committed, the bottom line is all you’re concerned with is you?” he asked Machain.

“Yes.”

Gardner is expected to testify this afternoon. Murphy said he may rest the prosecution’s case by Wednesday.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.