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Reporter: Lauren Squires

Lee Trial Day 1
Trial Day 1

A murder over an eviction notice. The trial began Tuesday afternoon. After a day and a half of jury selection opening statements began Tuesday, with the prosecution calling their first witness.


Monique Lee is charged with the first degree murder of Karen Jenkins. Lee walked out of the courtroom Tuesday after an afternoon of statements and testimony.

The jury will decide two things: if Monique Lee killed Karen Jenkins and if she was sane at the time.

The state's first witness was Ronald Ross, a Douglas County constable, who served Monique Lee's eviction and court notice. According to his testimony, Ross says the last time he saw Monique Lee he was at her apartment. The front door was locked but when she came down he tried to serve her the papers and explain her court date. She interrupted him, took the court documents and then drove off in a car. That was the last time he saw her.

It was October 3rd 2010, the court date was October 15th, and she didn't show up. According to prosecutors Monique's brother, Gary Lee, lured Jenkins into a vacant apartment near 40th and Ames on October 17th.

They say Monique followed them in, tackled Jenkins and strangled her with a vacuum cord. They say once she stopped breathing they put super glue in her nose and mouth. In opening statements the defense pointed out that Gary Lee was the only witness to the crime, and that his story has changed multiple times.

Monique’s brother Gary Lee is expected to testify against her. He pleaded guilty to second degree murder in exchange for testifying.

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