BEAUMONT, Texas — Opening statements have begun in the trial of a 33-year-old suspect charged in the 2020 death of a Beaumont man.
Zachary Kapel is charged with murder in connection with the April 26, 2020 shooting death of 41-year-old Shane Russell Jones.
(Editor's note: The above video is from a June 3, 2020 video about Kapel's indictment.)
The jury was selected shortly before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Opening statements began shortly after. If Kapel is found guilty, a jury will decide his punishment.
When Judge John Stevens asked Kapel how he would plead, Kapel said, "I'm not guilty your honor."
Prosecutor Christopher Cadena began his opening statements by telling the jury evidence will how Jones was at his home on Stonetown Road when the murder happened. He said the jury will see Jones was living in a camper and was, "not the wealthiest person."
Cadena told the jury Jones and his friends were going to go an area convenience store to get snacks but never got to go because Kapel pulled into the yard, pulled out a rifle and shot Jones.
The prosecutor said evidence will show the shooting was possibly the result of a drug deal that went bad. However, Cadena said the jury will hear evidence about another possible motive.
Cadena said the jury will hear video of the defendant admitting to being the one who pulled the trigger.
"This is not a murder mystery," Cadena said. "We know the man accused of this offense pulled the trigger."
Cadena said it will be up to the jury to determine what is believable.
Kapel's defense attorney, Bruce Smith, began his opening statements by telling the jury he and the prosecution agree evidence shows Kapel did shoot Jones. However, Smith said the shooting is justified under the law.
"Here in this case we believe the evidence will clearly show that the law of self-defense justified the shooting of Shane Jones," Smith said.
Smith told the jury Kapel believed deadly force was immediately necessary to protect himself and was reasonable. Smith claims Jones was unlawfully trying to
enter Kapel's truck and that Jones had the ability to harm his client.
The defense attorney said evidence will show that days before the shooting happened, Jones beat up Kapel during an argument about drugs.
Smith said Jones had threatened his client, causing Kapel to go back to his truck. He said Jones was armed with something that appeared to be a wrench.
Smith told the jury that Jones' autopsy showed that he had drugs in his system on the day he died and that Kapel had a reason to fear for his life.
The defense attorney told the jury it was his defendant who called 911 and told them he had just shot someone.
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From a previous Beaumont Police Department release:
On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 5:06 p.m. Beaumont Police responded to the 7700 block of Stonetown road in reference to several subjects fighting. While en route officers were advised that one subject was shot and is lying on the ground. When officers arrived they located the victim on the ground and he was deceased. Officers were able to detain the suspect who fired the shot at the scene and he was identified as Zachary Kapel, age 33 from Beaumont.
Detectives arrived and the preliminary investigation has revealed that there was an on-going disturbance between the suspect and victim. During the disturbance the suspect fired a shot at the victim striking him in the upper chest area. The victim was pronounced deceased by Justice of the Peace.
The victim was identified as Shane Russell Jones, age 41 from Beaumont. The investigation is still on-going as detectives continue to interview other witnesses.
Kapel was interviewed and an arrest warrant was obtained for his arrest. He was transported to the Jefferson County Jail and booked in for Murder.
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