Ex-Beatle Harrison testifies in intruder's knife-attack trial

OXFORD, England--Former Beatle George Harrison shouted "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna!" while being assaulted by a knife-wielding intruder in hopes of disorienting his attacker, a jury heard yesterday.

Harrison said in a statement read in court that he thought he was going to die as the man pushed a knife into his chest and he felt blood rising toward his mouth. Harrison's wife, Olivia, who also was attacked, testified in person of her desperate attempts to stop the man.

"There was blood on the walls, blood on my hands and I realized that we were going to be murdered and this man was succeeding in murdering us and there was absolutely nobody else there to help," she said.

The accused attacker, Michael Abram, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of attempted murder in connection with the Dec. 30 attack at Harrison's home in nearby Henley-on-Thames.

Abram, 34, whose trial opened yesterday, is charged with breaking into Harrison's home and stabbing him, puncturing a lung. He also is accused of attacking Olivia Harrison.

Prosecutor Simon Mayo said psychiatric experts had concluded Abram was suffering from a delusion that he was possessed by George Harrison.