George Huguely V listens to lawyers question the potential jurors
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WUSA) -- Wednesday morning, a jury of 12 and 3 alternates was selected in the University of Virginia lacrosse player murder trial. Opening statements followed the jury selection and were depressing and distressing.
IMAGES: Sketches From The Yeardley Love Murder Trial
A prosecutor revealed for perhaps the first time Wednesday, that Yeardley Love actually survived for about two hours after George Huguely allegedly beat her in her off-campus apartment in May 2010. According to the prosecutor, Huguely, who is from Chevy Chase, Md., kicked in the bedroom door, came in and severely beat her, causing her death. The prosecutor stated that Love's carotid artery and the nerve around it was shut down -- an injury consistent with a hand on her throat. That kind of pressure doesn't take long to stop the heart, said the prosecutor, and there was severe damage to her brain stem. The damage affected her ability to control her breathing and other basic functions but for some reason, said the prosecutor, something kept her alive for two hours.
The prosecutor also revealed on Wednesday that George Huguely wrote an email to Love two days before her murder containing the words "I should have killed you!"
9NEWS NOW's Bruce Leshan is in the courtroom and will be tweeting about the proceedings all day. Follow him on Twitter @BruceLeshan. Don't miss his report at 5 p.m.
The defense in its opening statement said that Huguely had an altercation with Love, but had no idea he did anything that might have killed her. When he left, he told police, she only had a bloody nose. The defense told jurors: "involuntary manslaughter is the only verdict that requires your careful thought and deliberation."
Alexis Love, Yeardley's sister, testified against Huguely today, and her mother, the lead-off witness in the case against Huguely, testified that victim was shaken about a month before Huguely accused of killing her. She had to come home.
A prosecution witness testified to hearing loud noise at the same time prosecutors say Huguely broke down Yeardley's door.