At Granville County murder trial, psychologist says Campbell victimized by father

OXFORD, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Accused killer Eric Campbell was back on the stand Friday as Granville District Attorney Mike Waters tried to pick apart his testimony from the day before.

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The defense called the 23-year-old early in the trial; their strategy clear: to pin the 2014 murders of Jerome and Dora Faulkner in their Oak Hill home on Eric's father, Ed Campbell. He killed himself in Raleigh Central Prison after the two were caught in the early days of 2015 and now the charges and the trial have settled on Eric Campbell.

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Campbell's defense has revolved around a portrayal of his father as a sharply abusive and controlling person who essentially owned his family in a way that made it nearly impossible for Eric Campbell to say no to his father's requests and figuratively paralyzed him during the murders and after.

Forensic psychologist Leigh Hagan, called to the stand by Campbell's defense team, testified that "trauma and abuse victimization perpetrated by his father contributed substantially to Eric's conduct in the offense."

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Prosecution spent the late afternoon trying to undermine that argument and make the case that Campbell played a bigger role and carries more responsibility than he lets on.

Week two of the trial wrapped up with Hagan still on the stand and prosecution trying to poke holes in his testimony. That continues Monday morning.

Campbell is the first defendant to face a capital punishment trial in Granville County in 25 years.