A capital murder trial that began Tuesday in Brazos County district court appears to be more focused on punishment.
Opening statements to the jury by one of the lawyers representing Gabriel Hall did not deny he shot and stabbed Edwin Shaar Jr. and stabbed his wife and left her for dead. The jury was told the defense would “not attempt or justify or minimize or excuse” what happened in the Shaar’s College Station home almost four years ago. The jury was told to wait for the punishment phase, where Hall is fighting the death penalty. The jury was told they “must hear the whole story” and the “how and why” of the attack. The 12 jurors and two alternates were also told to “keep their hearts and minds open” after hearing about Hall’s birth and youth in the Philippines then his adoption to a College Station family.
Opening statements from Assistant District Attorney Brian Baker centered on Hall’s confession the day after the attacks. According to Baker, Hall said he “did it with a smile on his face and he enjoyed it.” Hall also said, according to the prosecutor, that he planned to kill someone at random for more than a year, he sat in Brothers Pond Park for two months watching the Shaar’s, and he picked the specific day because he was off work.
Most of the three to six weeks blocked out for the trial is expected to be taken by the defense. Baker said two and a half days, or through the rest of this week, would be spent laying out the prosecution’s case. Among those testifying is Shaar’s wife, which led to Baker asking for permission to let her watch as much of the trial as she wants. That was granted over an objection by Hall’s lawyers.
