Retrial Of The Jessica Chambers' Murder Case Begins

The first day's testimony focused on emergency workers' reports that Jessica Chambers told them an "Eric" had attacked her.

Prosecutors tried to plant doubts about what Chambers really could say with severe burns.

They had a speech pathologist to say that Chambers would have lost her ability to speak clearly within minutes of being burned.
The testimony of speech pathologist Carolyn Wiles Higdon stated that Chambers could have made sounds, but wouldn't have been able to control them or pronounce consonants with a swollen tongue and charred lips.

That it would have been impossible for her to say "Eric."

Some of the volunteer firefighters and paramedics couldn't understand what Chambers was saying or didn't hear. 

Six did testify however, that they heard her say Eric, identifying words and short sentences even though Chambers was speaking in a quiet, abnormally low voice they described as breathy or raspy.

They said she came out of the woods shuffling like a zombie.

Investigators focused on Quinton Tellis after he changed his story and admitted he had been with Chambers later on the Saturday of her death.

Prosecutors said cellphone locations, video, DNA on a keychain and Tellis' statements link him to Chambers' death. 

A new witness may testify that she picked up Tellis that night near where Chambers was burned. 

Tellis is currently serving a prison sentence in Mississippi on an unrelated burglary charge and also faces another murder indictment in the 2015 stabbing death of Meing-Chen Hsiao in Monroe, Louisiana.

RETRIAL DAY 1

PART 1

 PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

PART 5