She didn't assist. It was David Graham. State District Judge Joe Drago opened proceedings Monday by telling jurors that in addition to capital murder, they also could consider lesser charges of kidnapping, assault and false imprisonment. He did not give them the option of murder, a minor victory for prosecutors who said they wanted only capital murder considered because the evidence didn't support a lesser offense. Defense attorneys objected to the omission.
Capital murder is a murder committed with another felony.
Prosecutors say Ms. Zamora helped Graham kidnap and kill Miss Jones in December 1995 in retaliation for their fling. If Ms. Zamora is convicted of capital murder, she would automatically receive a life sentence with parole possible after 40 years. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty. In separate interviews with police, Graham and Ms. Zamora gave similar stories about driving Miss Jones to a remote lake, where Ms. Zamora hit the girl with a barbell and Graham shot her as she tried to flee. Ms. Zamora was a freshman at the U.S. Naval Academy and Graham was in his first year at the Air Force Academy when they admitted to the slaying in September 1996.