Day 5: UPDATED 12:56 p.m. -- Tape played of Huguely hearing Love had died

UPDATED 12:56 p.m.: 

George Huguely fell silent for 10 full seconds when police questioning him about the death of Yeardley Love told him that his former girlfriend was dead.

Listening to a tape recording of his interview with police being played to the judge and juror this morning, Huguely dabbed at tears as he heard himself express shock that Love had died.

“She’s not dead. She’s not. She’s not. I don’t believe you,” he told police, his voice sounding distraught. “I’d never do anything to her. I love her.”

Police testified this morning that they were told by Love’s roommates that Huguely may have been involved in Love’s death.

Huguely cooperated on the way to the police station and became a possible suspect when officers noticed fresh bruising on his knuckles and cuts on his arm. In the tape recording, Huguely told officers that the bruising, scrapes and cuts on his body came from playing lacrosse.

In the tape, police asked Huguely about his interactions with Love that night and he told them that he only wanted to talk to her. He told police he consumed possibly a dozen alcoholic beverages that day, and that her door was locked when he went to see her and that he kicked it open.

“She was like all up in the corner and being defensive,” he said on the tape. “And she started getting all aggressive.”

Huguely denied striking Love’s head against the wall, but said he wrestled with her on the floor and tried to “restrain her.”

He denied strangling her, but said he may have grabbed her neck “during all that commotion.”

He said he got up, threw her onto the bed and left.Huguely was interviewed by police at length prior to officers informing him that Love, whom he described as his former girlfriend, was dead.

There was silence on the tape for about 10 seconds before Huguely spoke.“She’s dead?” he asked, followed by another 10 seconds of silence before he asked again, “she’s dead?”

Huguely, who had remained fairly passive in the courtroom through earlier testimony from a cardiac pathologist, was visibly shaken hearing the tape, especially when the tape played his reaction to the announcement of Love’s death and his continued protestations as it sunk in.

“I never hurt her. I love her. No way. No way. No way. No way,” he protested on the tape.

Prior to the taped interview, jurors heard a cardiac pathologist say that Love’s heart was normal with the exception of some minor hemorrhaging that likely resulted from attempts to resuscitate her with cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. The pathologist said the CPR was performed after Love had already been dead.

Autopsy reports of possible brain hemorrhaging would not be related to the CPR effort, the pathologist said.

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The prosecution will continue presenting witnesses today in the George Huguely murder trial.

It’s not clear exactly which witnesses will testify, but officials were seen bringing a large piece of evidence into the Charlottesville Circuit Courthouse on Thursday that many believe will turn out to be victim Yeardley Love’s bedroom door.

Huguely admitted to police that he kicked a hole in the door, according to an affidavit requesting a search warrant. The defense has said it will argue that the medical evidence about and circumstances surrounding Love’s death are open to interpretation.