Murder trial under way at Justice Center

The trial for Rosemary L. Newsome began Monday afternoon in Lee County Circuit Court with Judge Jacob A. Walker III presiding. A jury for the trial was selected shortly after noon, with opening arguments following.

Newsome, 28, was indicted for murder by a Lee County grand jury in November in the shooting death of James Heard, 57. Heard, whom Newsome claims was her common law husband, was shot at the Beauregard residence they shared in August 2007.

Newsome contends she is innocent.

On the morning of Aug. 14, Heard left his job as a dock worker at the Opelika-Auburn News at 5:13 a.m. Five hours later, law enforcement responded to a 911 call and found him dead, the victim of multiple gunshots to the chest, lying on his bed, fully clothed, except his shoes.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office was first to arrive at the scene, but shortly after beginning the investigation, the case was turned over to the Opelika Police Department because of a potential conflict of interest.

According to federal court documents, Newsome filed a lawsuit against the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in 2002 regarding an alleged assault in the Lee County jail.

Newsome was arrested and charged with murder in August 2007. Opelika officers took her to Russell County Jail before she was transported to Elmore County Jail in Wetumpka.

She was transferred to the Lee County Detention Facility Wednesday for today’s proceedings, according to court documents.

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