Kathy E <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Reco Jones's defense began to slowly reveal its strategy today as defense attorney John McWilliams brought one of Jones's former girlfriends, Maliaka Martin, to the stand and was able to get her to admit that the victim Yolanda Bellamy was her romantic rival and that she wanted Jones to stay away from her. Under direct examination from the prosecution, Martin testified that Jones came to her house early in the morning after the slayings and allegedly told her that he had killed Bellamy and the four children. Jones first told Martin that he killed Bellamy because he had grown tired of her coming to his house and insulting his mother. He also allegedly claimed that the victim told him that if he left her, she would tell Nathan Burns, Sr. (the father of her two sons) that Jones had beaten the children. Jones "snapped" and then killed Bellamy in a rage. Martin described Jones as having blood smeared on the right side of his neck when he showed up at her house. She then let him take a shower and helped him dispose of his bloody sneakers and clothes. But during cross-examination by the defense, Martin admitted that she had a romantic interest in Jones long before the slayings. During Jones's six-month imprisonment for a separate assault between January and June 1997, Martin wrote Jones frequently and apparently told him that she wanted to pursue a relationship with him. She also wanted Jones to end his relationship with Bellamy. Martin even admitted that she hated Yolanda Bellamy and was jealous of her. In addition, Martin also said that she and Jones had argued earlier that evening and conceded that he could have visited her that morning to reconcile. Martin's cross-examination was not finished at the end of testimony today and will continue when court resumes on Monday, March 23. Jurors also heard major testimony from Ericka Bellamy, the sister of the victim. Ericka's son and daughter were also killed in the slayings. She described the relationship between her late sister and Jones as "rocky" and said that both had threatened each other with physical violence. Ericka was also aware that her sister had slashed Jones's tires about a month before the murders. In addition, this witness stoically described how she discovered the bodies the morning after the murder but fought back tears as her frantic call to police was played for jurors in court. During cross-examination, Ericka Bellamy admitted that she was aware that there was a romantic rivalry between her sister and Maliaka Martin over Jones. However, despite the fact that she was close to Yolanda Bellamy, this witness said she was not aware that her sister had written Jones so many love letters while he was in prison. Court will not be in session tomorrow. More testimony about the alleged love triangle involving Jones, Martin, and Bellamy -- and a possible suggested motive for Martin to kill Bellamy -- is expected when testimony resumes on Monday. -- Kathy E "I can only please one person a day, today is NOT your day, and tomorrow isn't looking too good for you either" http://members.delphi.com/kathylaw/ Law & Issues Mailing List http://pw1.netcom.com/~kathye/rodeo.html - Cowboy Histories http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/2990/law.htm Crime photo's Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
