A Brooklyn teen broke down in tears Tuesday as he told a court about the horrifying night when his raging father allegedly smashed through a door and stabbed his mom to death as she begged for her life.
“I pulled my mom into the bedroom and closed the door because I was trying to protect her,” testified Noah Roberts, who was just 13 years old when his unemployed dad, Eustachio, 58, attacked his mom, Maritza Jolliffe, 53.
The 17-year-old described a scene ripped straight from the Jack Nicholson horror flick “The Shining.”
“He smashed the door — it split in half. We backed up because there was wood flying everywhere.
“He pointed the knife in my face and said, ‘Stay out of it!’ ” Noah said. “She was begging him to stop, begging for her life. He started to stab her in the chest. He was cursing at her.”
Noah said his dad hacked his mom for some 10 seconds. The teen managed to flee his bloody Canarsie home for a family member’s house across the street, where he yelled, “Mommy is dead!”
The elder Roberts showed no reaction as his son began to cry at the memory of the events of April 28, 2010.
Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Deborah Dowling passed the quietly weeping teen a handful of tissues.
Outside court, the younger Roberts said the court hearing was the first time he had seen his father since the slaying.
“It was hard. It was different seeing him in handcuffs,” Noah said.
Noah said he wanted to testify to “bring justice for my mom.” He added that he ignored his dad’s one attempt to contact him.
“This has not been easy on him,” said Gloria Flowers, Jolliffe’s sister and Noah’s aunt, one of about a dozen family members in court Tuesday.
“He was a happy-go-lucky kid [before the killing], but there’s a sadness there now,” Flowers said.
Defense attorney Joel Walter cross-examined witnesses Tuesday with the goal of provoking testimony that Eustachio Roberts had been drinking or incapacitated at the time of the killing.
Eustachio Roberts faces 25 years to life if convicted. Trial testimony continues Wednesday.