Editor's note: Daily News reporter Chris Paschenko is covering the murder trial of Royce Clyde Zeigler who is accused of killing his 2-year-old stepdaughter who became known as Baby Grace. In addition to his regular reports, Paschenko will post a blog entry at the end of the day's court proceedings.

Two witnesses who testified Thursday for the state in the capital murder trail of Royce Clyde Zeigler II entered the courtroom wearing neck braces.

Of the seven witnesses prosecutors Kurt Sistrunk and Kayla Allen have called so far, two couldn’t turn their heads.
Robert Spinn, the fisherman from Bayou Vista and Ken Jones, a reserve deputy with the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, looked a bit uncomfortable in their neckwear.

Spinn, who discovered the body of Baby Grace on an uninhabited island in Galveston Bay, testified Thursday to his grizzly find.

Jones took the stand and described his attempts to help authorities learn the real name of Baby Grace, who authorities later learned was 2-year-old Riley Ann Sawyers.

It is unclear what ailment has afflicted them, but 10th District Judge David Garner couldn’t pass up a bit of courtroom banter when excusing Jones from the stand.

Garner gave Jones permission to limp about his business, which drew a rare bit of laughter and comfort from the jury and spectators who have all been subjected to gruesome testimony over two days.