Marrero's domestic partner, Tampa police Officer Mickie Mashburn, sat in the front row. Marrero's sister, Brenda Marrero, sat in the second row.

Both shared a moment of pain and realization Wednesday as public defender DeeAnn Athan, in her opening statements in Paula Gutierrez's trial on charges of first- degree murder, robbery and burglary, described Marrero's last moments.

Athan told the jurors that after Nester DeJesus shot Marrero, Gutierrez watched the veteran police officer begin to fall.

Marrero and Gutierrez locked eyes.

Athan, speaking for her client, said that Marrero seemed to ask ``Why?'' with her eyes.

It was the first time Brenda Marrero heard the story. Since her sister's death on July 6, 2001, she asked numerous police officers for information about Marrero's last moments.

``Everyone had told me she was gone before they arrived,'' Brenda Marrero said. She was angry, and her eyes welled with tears after hearing the story from Athan. She said it was ``unfortunate'' her sister's last moments were with Gutierrez.

Mashburn said she always has wanted to ask Gutierrez: Why?

``It basically caused me to go back to that day,'' she said.

The prosecution and defense told jurors their version of what happened that day. Prosecutors portrayed Gutierrez and DeJesus as a Bonnie and Clyde duo.

Athan portrayed Gutierrez as a timid young woman who was so brutalized by DeJesus that she did whatever he said.

Prosecutor Jay Pruner told jurors Gutierrez bought a MAC-11 firearm for her boyfriend and the two used the weapon during a holdup of the Bank of America at 1501 S. Church St. in south Tampa.

Gutierrez held the gun as her boyfriend jumped the counter and grabbed cash from the tellers, Pruner said.

The two fled in a yellow Nissan Xterra. Marrero caught up with them in an apartment parking lot, Pruner said.

DeJesus shot Marrero twice in the neck, and then he and Gutierrez broke into a young man's apartment and held him hostage, Pruner said.

DeJesus fatally shot himself, and Gutierrez surrendered.

Athan began her defense with Gutierrez living in New York City. She said Gutierrez was 16 when she started dating DeJesus. From the start, Athan said, DeJesus was abusive. He ordered Gutierrez to keep her eyes downcast when they were in public so she wouldn't look at other people.

When he and Gutierrez had sex, he choked her to the point she would pass out, Athan said. When she complained, DeJesus told her she liked it.

He beat her, threatened to kill her and her family and talked about committing suicide, Athan said.

Even when Gutierrez was pregnant with DeJesus' baby girl, he was abusive and once held a knife to her belly, Athan said.``If you weren't carrying my child, I'd kill you right now,'' Athan claimed DeJesus said to Gutierrez.

All of the mental and physical abuse turned Gutierrez into a woman who was too afraid to disobey DeJesus, Athan said.

That's why Gutierrez helped rob the bank, Athan said.

The trial is expected to last two weeks. It continues today.

For live updates during the trial, go online to TBO.com.

Reporter Joshua B. Good can be reached at (813) 259-7638.