How Elizabeth Holmes' abuse allegations could impact her criminal trial

For months, jurors at Elizabeth Holmes' criminal trial have heard one witness after another speak about the confident and charismatic former CEO of Theranos. Witnesses testified about how she convinced investors to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into her failed blood-testing startup, attracted a star-studded roster of board members and negotiated a key retail partnership on her own without a lawyer present.

But this week, a tearful Holmes sat on the witness stand and delivered a stunningly different perspective on her time running the company. Behind the scenes, Holmes alleges, she was in the midst of a decade-long abusive relationship with Theranos' chief operating officer and president, Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, who she said tried to control nearly every aspect of her life.

The allegation from Holmes, who is one of only a few witnesses expected to be called to testify by her defense team, was easily the most emotionally-charged moment of her five days on the stand so far. Her claim, which Balwani's attorneys have previously denied, could also complicate the government's case against her in the eyes of the jury.