The Courtney Lockhart trial began Friday with opening statements and testimonies from the state's witnesses.
Lockhart, who has been indicted for the March 4, 2008 murder of Lauren Burk, an Auburn University freshman, is pleading not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease and defect.
The Opelika-Auburn news reported District Attorney Nick Abbett said in his opening statement that Burk "made a heroic effort to survive" by jumping from the passenger side of her own vehicle after Lockhart forced her into the car at gunpoint and robbed her of her personal items. Abbett said he forced her to take off all her clothes.
When Burk jumped from the car as it traveled on Ala. Highway 147/North College Street, Lockhart shot her, Abbett said.
According to the Opelika-Auburn News, Joel Collins, defense attorney, said in his opening statement the evidence would reveal that Lockhart didn't intend to kill Burk.
The defense also plans to show Lockhart had been affected by his service in Iraq with the U.S. Army.
Witnesses called by the state Friday described the crime scene and Burk's cause of death.
"She bled to death from a gunshot wound," said John McFarland, Burk's treating physician at the East Alabama Medical Center emergency room.
McFarland said Burk showed no signs of life when emergency medical services brought her into the emergency room, but hospital staff still tried to resuscitate her.
Abbett had McFarland show pictures of Burk's body to the jury, and Burk's family and friends began to cry.
The defense cross-examined McFarland, asking him if the paramedics' use of CPR could have expedited Burk's death.
McFarland said it was a possibility, but that when CPR is not given, the patient is likely to die from a lack of oxygen to the brain.
McFarland said he mistook Burk for a woman around the age of 30 because of the trauma her body had experienced.
"She was so pale," McFarland said.
Burk's medical record showed no evidence of sexual assault.
Jim Burk, Lauren's father, who was also called to the stand, glanced at Lockhart throughout his testimony, and at times looked directly at him when answering Abbett's questions.
"She was 18 and had her whole life ahead of her," Jim said.
Jim said he spoke with Lauren at 5 p.m. that day, and at 10:30 p.m., he received a call from the Auburn Police Department telling him his daughter's car had been found on fire.
Jim said he drove to Auburn and met with Tommy Dawson, police chief.
"As soon as I saw Tommy Dawson's face, I knew my daughter was gone," Jim said.
When Assistant District Attorney Kisha Abercrombie asked Jim to identify a photo of his daughter before her death, he showed the photo to the crowd.
"Look at her--beautiful girl," Jim said.
Judge Jacob Walker III called a recess at 3:40 p.m. and reminded the jurors not to speak with anyone about the case, research anything about Burk's death or read any news about the trial.
Court will reconvene Monday at 8:30 a.m.
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