STROUDSBURG -- A man on trial for the death of his wife took the stand Tuesday to defend himself.
Over the weekend, that defendant tried to kill himself in the Monroe County jail.
On Tuesday morning, Edward Yale told jurors why he did that and he also told them that he did not kill his wife in 2001.
Yale, 74, testified at his murder trial telling jurors loud and clear that he did not kill his wife.
In 2001, Yale's wife Joan was found dead in a pool of blood at the bottom of the couple's basement stairs. It happened at their home near Marshalls Creek.
Prosecutors argue the couple wasn't getting along because Yale wanted his name on the deed to the house and Joan wasn't cooperating.
Yale yelled out in court, "I didn't snap on Joan that day. I tell you she wasn't killed and I didn't hit her."
Yale's emotional testimony came just days after he tried taking his own life three different ways at the Monroe County Correctional Facility in Snydersville.
Yale says he inhaled Sweet and Low into his lungs through the oxygen mask he uses. He tried to stop his pacemaker by giving himself an electric shock from his breathing machine. Finally, Yale took an elastic cord out of his long johns Sunday and tried to strangle himself.
Yale cried while explaining it all in detail.
"I tried for one hour and 20 minutes. I stayed the hell alive. All three things were done at the same time and I failed."
Yale has trouble hearing and asked for several questions to be repeated in the courtroom. He also told jurors he could not remember many details of Joan's death recorded in police reports.
The suspected murderer testified there's only one reason he tried to take his own life.
"It wasn't about guilt. It's about the unbelievable load of stress I've had for two years and four months."
Several other witnesses were scheduled to testify for the defense throughout the day.
Officials expect this criminal homicide trial to be handed to the jury later this week.