Defense testimony began Tuesday in the penalty phase of a trial against a Cathedral City man who killed four people in a Palm Springs shooting over four years ago, with the defendant’s mother asking jurors to consider the human life at stake.

The mother and grandmother of a young man who was killed along with three other people in a Palm Springs shooting more than four years ago testified Wednesday about the pain they felt over losing their only son and grandchild, saying they’ll never be able to share memories with him anymore.

As the penalty phase of trial continued for a Cathedral City man who gunned down four people in Palm Springs more than four years ago, the mother of one of the victims testified Tuesday about the pain she felt losing a second son and reminisced on their lives growing up.

As the penalty phase continued Tuesday for a Cathedral City man convicted of fatally gunning down four people in Palm Springs more than four years ago, his ex-partner testified about physical and mental abuse she allegedly endured from him when she was 14 years old.

As the penalty phase continued Thursday for a Cathedral City man convicted of fatally gunning down four people in Palm Springs more than four years ago, the mother and the girlfriend of one victim testified about their resultant struggles, about the joy he spread and of the two kids he left behind.