Co-defendant in Mt. Baldy sword attack case testifies, denies charges

POMONA -- Both defendants in the Mt. Baldy sword attack trial took the witness stand Tuesday in Pomona Superior Court to defend themselves against attempted murder charges.

Wesley Brockway, 27, accused of trying to hack his friend to death with a samurai sword, faced cross-examination questioning from Deputy District Attorney Stefan Mrakich, the prosecutor.

As he did during Monday's proceedings, Brockway stated that David Gregory attacked him first with a small baseball bat and pepper spray before both men began to tussle over Brockway's samurai sword.

Brockway again denied striking Gregory with the sword.

Gregory suffered numerous cuts and stab wounds during the Sept. 30, 2007 confrontation at his cabin, including a wound to his left shoulder that caused him to bleed nearly to death.

Brockway's brother, 33-year-old Eric Brockway, is accused of spraying Gregory twice with pepper spray after the man was injured, and encouraging his brother and other people in the group to leave Gregory to die.

Eric Brockway denied the set of facts presented by the prosecution during testimony Tuesday.

The Brockway brothers and two other men visited Gregory three days before the confrontation for a barbecue at Gregory's isolated Mt. Baldy cabin.

As they left the barbecue on Sept. 27, 2007, Wesley Brockway spray-painted numerous profane, derogatory messages about Gregory along the path leading from Mt. Baldy Road to Gregory's cabin.

The group returned the day of the confrontation intending to apologize to Gregory and to share food with Gregory, Eric Brockway testified. Sept. 30, 2007 was Eric Brockway's 33rd birthday.

Eric Brockway said he and another person in the group had lagged behind his brother and another man, Chad Blakely, when Wesley Brockway and Blakely reached Gregory's cabin.

Eric Brockway testified Tuesday that he heard his brother cry for help.

"It sounded to me like (my brother) was being attacked," Eric Brockway said.

Eric Brockway said he ran to the cabin and saw Gregory and Blakely bleeding, and his brother covered in blood from the knee down.

Shocked that there had been violence, Eric Brockway said he asked the group what had happened, and took out his cell phone to call 911. But there was no signal.

He asked Gregory if he needed help. Gregory, who Brockway described as "angry," said he didn't want help.

"Why did you do this? We came to apologize," Eric Brockway said he told Gregory.

"(Expletive) your apology. You made this personal," Gregory replied, according to Eric Brockway.

Gregory was holding the 18-inch baseball bat in his right hand, and he walked toward Brockway as if he was going to strike him, Brockway said.

It was then that Brockway said he pepper sprayed Gregory. He denied ever encouraging his brother and Blakely to leave Gregory to die, as Gregory testified last week.

Eric Brockway is scheduled to continue his testimony Wednesday.

Three Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators are also expected to testify Wednesday, and attorneys in the case may begin closing arguments this afternoon.