Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine has rested his case against Monique Lee, accused of murdering her landlord Karen Jenkins in 2010. Defense attorney Tom Riley began presenting his case Friday morning.
This is her second trial. The first one ended in a mistrial. The prosecution had asked for another mistrial because Lee's brother, Gary Lee, changed his testimony saying he had a more active role in the murder.
Monique allegedly strangled Jenkins with an electrical cord in a vacant apartment near 40th and Ames Avenue in October 2010. Prosecutors believe Gary lured Jenkins to that vacant apartment and helped dispose of her body.
The first trial ended in a mistrial.
The second murder trial got off to a rocky start when the key witness, Monique’s brother, Gary Lee told the jury he had a larger role in Jenkins’ murder than his previous testimony.
Prosecutors were told Wednesday they could not show the jury previous Gary Lee testimony in which he said Monique killed Jenkins and he helped.
Earlier in the day the jury watched as Monique Lee, in a police interview tape, said she killed Karen Jenkins. The defense says the tape shows a detective walking Monique through her statement.
