Day two of the trial against 38-year-old Ashlee Dean started in Post on Tuesday morning. Dean is accused of shooting and killing her two-year-old daughter on Feb 20, 2014. She pled not guilty to the crime at the beginning of the trial.
On Tuesday, several forensic experts who examined evidence testified in court. The forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy on the toddler said the wound was so severe, he wasn’t able to determine a bullet exit point or the angle at which the gun was fired.
The defense argued the bullet could have come from below the child, as if it was triggered on accident. The prosecution and defense both used a child sized mannequin to demonstrate possible shooting scenarios.
A Department of Public Safety forensic analyst also testified that Dean had a high amount of meth in her system at the time of shooting, suggesting a recent binge. Also noting that coming down from a high can sometimes result in depression and hallucination.
The defense pointed out that Dean’s demeanor was considered normal during questioning which was seen in a video recording and showed to jury members.
And a DPS firearm examiner testified there was no malfunction with the weapon that was allegedly used. This eliminates the scenario that it fell off a dresser and discharged accidentally, which is what Dean stated in initial questioning.
Court starts again on Wednesday. It’s unsure if Dean will take the stand later on in trial. If convicted, Dean could face life in prison without parole.
Notes from the first day of trial
The capital murder trial in Post began on Monday morning for the case where a two-year-old was shot and killed in 2014.
The toddler’s mother was charged with the crime and faced trial after more than three years since the death of her daughter, Alexandria. Ashlee Dean, 38, pled not guilty to the crime. Her defense questioned in their opening statement if Dean intentionally or knowingly killed her daughter, suggesting it was an accident.
The State had the floor on Monday, where they brought in several witnesses who were the first responders including several Garza County Sheriff’s Deputies. The prosecution also submitted more than 50 pieces of evidence including the recording of the ‘911’ call from Dean that night.
In the recording, you can hear the defendant sobbing and screaming that “her daughter is dead” and asking if this is a “bad dream.”
Dean has a history of drug abuse and witnesses testified they found drug pipes at the scene of the crime. A nurse who examined Dean testified that Dean admitted to smoking a “clear unknown substance” that her boyfriend brought her that night. She also allegedly told the nurse that she was cleaning her gun and it fell off a dresser when it discharged, killing her daughter.
She told the same thing to Texas Rangers during questioning.
Another discussion in court were the burn marks found on Dean’s cheek and neck. The prosecution said Dean received these burns after firing a gun near her face,which they said proved it was an intentional shooting.
The trial starts again on Tuesday. If convicted, Dean could face life in prison without parole.