Witness Describes 'Flow of Blood' at Homicide

It started as argument, turned into a fight, and ended with a man bleeding to death.

That was witness Tony Williams' testimony Tuesday in Northampton County Court as jurors began the second day of the trial of Lawrence Gaines, accused of stabbing Easton resident William Thompson to death last July 3 on the 600 block of Ferry Street.

Prosecutors allege Gaines, 45, stabbed Thompson five times, with one of the wounds slicing through Thompson's femoral artery. Thompson, 43, of Easton, died a few hours later.

Gaines' attorney argued in his opening statement Monday that his client acted in self-defense after Thompson attacked Gaines with a piece of wooden railing.

According to the Express-Times, Williams testified he pulled Gaines off Thompson twice before Gaines took out a knife and stabbed Thompson, who began bleeding.

"It wasn't like no drip blood; it was like a flow of blood," Williams testified.

The Morning Call reported that Williams acknowledged on cross-examination that he was scared when Thompson hit Gaines with the wood. Williams said that had he been in Gaines' position, he wouldn't have taken a hit in the head.

Gaines faces life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder.