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08/23/2007 05:58 PM

Jury selection to begin in Hall trial

By: News 8 Austin Staff

Jury selection for the trial of Laura Hall is set for Monday.

Hall, 23, is accused of assisting convicted murderer Colton Pitonyak flee to Mexico after the murder of Jennifer Cave in 2005. She's charged with hindering apprehension and tampering with evidence. Both are third-degree felonies, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Pitonyak was found guilty of murder in January and sentenced to 55 years in prison. He said he didn't remember shooting and dismembering the 21-year-old Cave, but was heavily under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time.

The hindering apprehension charge stems from Hall's trip to Mexico with Pitonyak, where police say they tried to escape authorities. The tampering with evidence charge was added after Pitonyak testified that it was Hall who dismembered Cave's body in the bathtub of his West Campus apartment.

Opening statements are expected Tuesday.