Brick In Court

Michael Brick's continuing coverage: Most murder defendants do not testify in court; the strategy is too risky. But then, most murder defendants do not take on a SWAT team with a kitchen knife, stab a lawyer during a courtroom escape attempt, apply to represent themselves, face banishment from the courtroom or make obscene gestures at the jury via videoconference.

Kayson Pearson, accused of raping and killing a Hunter College student in April 2003, rounded out that list yesterday. After five weeks of testimony by prosecution witnesses, he took the stand in State Supreme Court in Brooklyn to deny involvement in the killing.