Terrific Falls’ to start with murder trial because the COVID-19 pandemic arrived to Montana started Monday with jury selection and opening statements.
Stanley Isaac Lebeau, 54, was at first scheduled to go to trial on March 23, 2020, but his demo was postponed following the first case of COVID-19 in the condition was verified March 11 and Montana before long after entered a state of unexpected emergency.
Lebeau was accused in May well 2017 of deliberate homicide for allegedly killing Tasha Hurry and leaving her physique in a bathtub at the Airway Motel in Great Falls.
Additional:Lebeau allegedly admits to murder, organizing killing spree
Far more:Sufferer of homicide at Airway Motel discovered
The Tribune earlier recognized the sufferer as Tasha Roberts, but Cascade County Legal professional Josh Racki explained she made use of equally very last names. Racki will refer to her as “Hurry” through the trial, so that is the identify the Tribune will use in buy to estimate the testimony accurately.
Jury assortment concluded up rapidly Monday, and lawyers offered their opening statements Monday afternoon.
Racki showed a photo of Hurry, who was 28 when she was killed on May well 14, 2017. He also showed the jury a photograph of her in the bathtub in which investigators identified her.
Racki mentioned two times just after Rush’s death, legislation enforcement was looking for Lebeau simply because he experienced cut off a GPS monitoring device necessary by his probation in one more matter.
Police tracked down Lebeau and detained him. Racki reported Lebeau asked officers to loosen his handcuffs and if they did, he would inform them about a murder.
“In an eerie, deadpan voice, the defendant instructed them he experienced killed a woman in his place,” Racki reported, “and that they should really be happy they had caught him simply because he was likely to go on a killing spree, killing other folks and taking hostages.”
A few officers went to Airway Motel and observed Rush in the bathtub, where Lebeau allegedly told them she would be.
Following he was taken into custody, Lebeau allegedly told a number of other folks he arrived in make contact with with that he experienced killed Hurry and planned to eliminate other folks.
Additional:Lebeau allegedly admits to murder, setting up killing spree
Far more:Sufferer of homicide at Airway Motel determined
Racki showed a movie of Lebeau at the station expressing, “I killed some chick,” and performed a recording of him telling a detective, “She would not shut up and I retained hitting her and hitting her and hitting her.”
Racki performed another recording of a connect with Lebeau created from a mobile phone at the Cascade County Detention Middle to a near pal where he once more admitted to killing Rush.
A jail inmate will also testify that Lebeau admitted the criminal offense to him and talked about ways to conquer the circumstance, fool the jury and confuse the proof.
Racki stated his situation was not dependent on Lebeau’s confessions on your own. The state will offer bodily proof that incorporates a blood-soaked mattress and clothing from each Hurry and Lebeau.
At one particular point, Racki explained Lebeau explained to law enforcement he had purchased a knife to dismember Rush, and the point out ideas to current proof of that invest in.
A thirty day period later, Lebeau changed his story, in accordance to Racki. He claimed Rush’s death was an accident and told police in a letter that he and Hurry ended up in an argument. He said he picked up a tree root and threw it at her, that it should have hit her, but he didn’t see her die.
Lebeau’s legal professional, Jay Reno, requested the jury to see his client as a human being and to watch the case objectively without leaping to conclusions.
“Stan is a rough-seeking unique,” Reno reported. “He is lived a tricky life. He’s built many issues, and he’s paid for individuals errors. What he is not is a assassin.”
Reno stated Lebeau found Rush’s body in his motel area and then did not report it to authorities for two times. Even so, he stated, Lebeau did not destroy her.
Reno admitted in his opening that Lebeau’s confessions sounded incriminating, but people statements were being just tales. He requested the jury not to judge Lebeau dependent on his visual appearance or the alleged charge.
“You will not have to like Stan,” Reno said. “To be straightforward, I wouldn’t possibly associate with Stan out in the authentic globe.”
In the course of the demo, Reno mentioned the prosecution would present a variety of witnesses and proof. He mentioned there would be no actual physical evidence that Lebeau committed the crime.
He said many not known people today experienced engaged in sexual intercourse with Hurry in 24 several hours of her death and no murder weapon was uncovered.
The demo will keep on on Tuesday and is predicted to previous a person week.
Legal justice reporter Traci Rosenbaum reports on regulation enforcement issues for the Tribune. Reach her at [email protected] or 406-791-1490.
Follow her on Twitter @GFTrib_TRosenba.
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