Accounts of Love's death split as defense and prosecution draw their lines

Counsel in the George Huguely murder trial delivered opening statements Wednesday that gave two very different accounts of the events leading up to the death of Huguely’s fellow University of Virginia lacrosse player Yeardley Love. Both sides' methodology began to emerge on the first day of testimony. The prosecution painted a picture of Huguely as a violent, jealous ex-boyfriend, while the defense argued that Huguely visited Love with good intentions that had a tragic outcome.

The day began somewhat behind schedule as two potential jurors had to be let out of the pool unexpectedly. Originally, the court intended that a group of 15 would hear the trial in its entirety; three alternate jurors would be selected by lot prior to deliberation. However, instead of returning to the juror selection process, Judge Edward Hogshire decided to continue with the trial with a smaller jury pool. As a result, only 14 people will hear the case — 12 jurors and two alternates.

Huguely’s defense, led by Francis McQ. Lawrence and Rhonda Quagliana, objected to a smaller number of alternate jurors, but Hogshire overruled their motion.

A jury was finally seated at about 10:30 a.m. The jury was equally balanced with seven males and seven females hearing the case. Two of the jurors — one male and one female — were black. The group included one bacteriologist at UVa, an insurance adjuster and a graphic designer.

Huguely, now 24, is accused of first-degree murder, felony murder, robbery, burglary, statutory burglary and grand larceny.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman delivered the prosecution’s opening statement, telling jurors that Love had received threatening emails from Huguely just days before her death.

In an email, Love told Huguely that she had sex with another man, and that the other man outperformed Huguely in bed. Chapman read an excerpt from an email in which Huguely responded, “I should have killed you.”

The day Love died, she and her roommates had been out drinking at a friend’s birthday party at Boylan Heights, a restaurant and bar on the Corner, Chapman said. Yeardley and one of her roommates returned to their apartment to shower and get ready to go out again later that night, but Yeardley “didn’t seem up to” going out again. Instead, she decided to stay home while her friends went back to Boylan Heights.

Later that evening, Chapman said that Love’s downstairs neighbor “hears this crash or bang — this loud, loud sound.” Chapman said that sound was likely that of Huguely breaking down Love’s bedroom door.

He noted that an autopsy revealed extensive damage to Love’s brain, including injuries to the brain stem, which controls basic life functions.

He also described damage to Love’s carotid sinus, a part of a major artery in the neck. Chapman said that Love could have suffered an arrhythmia as a result of pressure to this part of her circulatory system.

“She’s a tiny woman, he’s a large man,” Chapman said, adding, “there is no evidence of any battle royale.”

Moreover, Chapman told jurors that Huguely took Love’s laptop computer. He noted that Huguely once said he took the computer as “collateral” but asked the jury “what kind of collateral is it when you find it in a Dumpster … full of trash?”

Once Huguely returned home, Chapman said that “his appearance and behavior” caused his roommates to repeatedly ask him if anything was wrong.

While Huguely and Love did have some friendly interaction at Boylan Heights that Saturday, Chapman remained committed to the notion that Love was murdered late Sunday night.

“The reality is the next time George Huguely saw her alone, he killed her. The only other eye witness of [the attack] is dead,” he said.

In his opening statement, Lawrence asked the jurors to consider the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter.

“Each of the charges require intent,” he explained. “We’re not saying you should excuse anything George did while he was intoxicated,” Lawrence said, but stressed that a drunk person is incapable of premeditating a crime, which first-degree murder requires.

Moreover, Lawrence said that while Huguely did take Love’s computer, he did not intend to permanently deny her possession of the machine. Because felony murder requires that a victim be killed in connection with another crime, he said, Huguely cannot be found guilty of that offense either.

“George is really not capable of maintaining a lie. He’s not complicated, he’s not complex, he’s a lacrosse player,” Lawrence said.

Huguely was, the defense explained, very drunk on the day leading up to Love’s death. He said his client drank “nonstop” throughout the day. Huguely had been golfing with his teammates, but was so drunk he started missing the ball. Later in the day he split a bottle of wine with his father at a downtown restaurant.

Lawrence said that his client went to Love’s house with the intention of making up after the two exchanged an “abusive, angry and demeaning series of emails” earlier that week. He explained that Huguely and Love had been together on and off since their second year at UVa.

Lawrence read more of Huguely's email that Chapman quoted. The larger quote was: “I should have killed you. You should have killed me. You're so [profanity] up.”

 “He had no intent to kill her,” Lawrence said. “They were going to continue a relationship at least as friends.”

Lawrence said that his client did “knock a hole” in Love’s door, but did not kick it down. He addressed the autopsy report that claimed Love died of blunt force trauma to the head by telling jurors that “the wall played no role” in the incident. Police found no dimples on the wall indicating that it had been struck, he said.

In regards to Love’s documented brain injuries, Lawrence said that they could have formed over a period of time, and were likely not caused by Huguely. Moreover, “not a single drop of blood” was found on Huguely’s clothing in DNA testing.

Instead, Lawrence said that Love may have died of asphyxiation. She was found facedown on her pillow in a position that would likely impede her breathing. The blood found in her brain stem, Lawrence suggested, was a result of CPR efforts.

During police questioning, Lawrence said that his client “could not and did not believe” that Love had died. When Huguely left Love’s apartment, he thought that she had a bloody nose, and knew nothing of any other notable injuries, Lawrence said.

“He’s making no effort to be stealthy or sneaky,” Lawrence said, because Love’s downstairs neighbor heard Huguely’s heavy footsteps coming down the complex’s communal stairs.

The prosecution called eight witnesses in the afternoon including two roommates, a friend, a police officer and a neighbor.

The trial will resume this morning at 9:30 a.m. It is still expected to continue until Feb. 17.