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Both sides rest in punishment phase of retrial for Terry Thompson

Prosecutors called a handful of witnesses during sentencing proceedings Tuesday who painted a picture of Thompson the jury did not see during the trial.

HOUSTON - Both sides rested in the punishment phase of the Terry Thompson chokehold murder trial Tuesday in downtown Houston.

Thompson was convicted Monday of murdering 24-year-old John Hernandez following a retrial.

Prosecutors called a handful of witnesses during sentencing proceedings Tuesday who painted a picture of Thompson the jury did not see during the trial.

Harris County Sheriff's Office employees gave testimony alleging Thompson has a criminal past and was arrested several years ago for burglary of a vehicle, when he was 17 and 20 years old.

A former pre-school teacher of Thompson's son claimed she observed signs of abuse on the boy when he was four years old and reported it to Child Protective Services.

The CPS supervisor who investigated the case testified she saw marks on the boy that were consistent with punishment by a belt.

"Based on my communication with Ms. Thompson, and based on my conversation with Mr. Thompson, where he admitted he spanked him," CPS supervisor Cindy Brown testified. "We believe that this neglect did occur."

Thompson cried during the testimony for the first time in either of his two trials.

Family members and co-workers of Thompson were called as defense witnesses and claim Thompson was peaceful and said they never saw him lose his temper.

Thompson's wife, former Harris County Sheriff's deputy Chauna Thompson, was present during the proceedings.

She had not been seen at either of Terry Thompson's two trials until Tuesday.

Related: Prosecutors will retry Terry Thompson after jury deadlocks 11-1 for not guilty

Chauna Thompson faces pending charges for her alleged involvement in Hernandez's death outside of a Denny's restaurant in Crosby in May 2017.

Cell phone video shows Chauna Thompson alongside her husband as he pins Hernandez in a chokehold until he is not longer breathing.

Defense attorneys argued Terry Thompson was provoked by a reportedly intoxicated Hernandez and was defending himself.

Terry Thompson faces five years to life in prison.

Jurors will reconvene Wednesday morning to begin sentence deliberations.

Back in July, Thompson's first trial ended in a mistrial after jurors remained deadlocked after three days of deliberations.

MORE: Complete coverage of Terry Thompson murder trial

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