First trial begins in child drownings

CLINTON, Ill. -- The rescuers arrived at Clinton Lake to find a car submerged in the water and a mother screaming from the shoreline, her boyfriend by her side.

Six-year-old Christopher Hamm and his half brother, 3-year-old Austin Brown, were pronounced dead. Kyleigh Hamm, 23 months, died the next day.

Now, 2 1/2 years later, jury selection was to begin today in Bloomington, about 25 miles north of Clinton. The boyfriend, Maurice LaGrone Jr., is charged with first-degree murder counts for each child. If convicted, he could be sentenced to death.

The children's mother, 29-year-old Amanda Hamm, faces identical charges and is scheduled to stand trial after her former boyfriend.

THE CASE

Prosecutors will try to convince a jury that LaGrone intentionally sank the car with the mother's cooperation because he wanted the children out of the way.

Prosecutors Roger Simpson and Ed Parkinson say they intend to prove that LaGrone was a lazy, pot-smoking sex addict who thought the children were in his way.

THE DEFENSE

LaGrone's attorneys say the children drowned in a tragic accident.

"This case is an accident. It is not an intentional act," said Jeff Justice, LaGrone's court-appointed attorney. He plans to call engineers and other experts to show that LaGrone and Hamm were not lying when they told investigators that they were able to escape the sinking car but could not get back for the children.

LaGrone and Hamm have been in jail on $5 million bond since their arrests. LaGrone will be the first defense witness, Justice said.