Former UVA lacrosse star George Huguely allegedly emailed his ex-girlfriend Yeardley Love with the message "I should have killed you" shortly before she died of blunt force trauma to the head, prosecutors say.
Huguely, 24, has been charged with first degree murder in connection with the death of Love who was found dead in her dorm room on May 2, 2010. Love, 22, was a a senior at UVA and a fellow lacrosse player.
In the opening statements of his trial today, Prosecutor Dave Chapman detailed Huguely's history of violence with Love, and the extent of his allegedly murderous actions that night.
Chapman claimed that Huguely came over to Love's room in a rage, kicked in her door, beat her and threw her against the wall. He then took her computer and left the room, leaving Love to die.
Love and Huguely had had a turbulent history. Friends allege Huguely had put her in a choke hold prior to her death.
However, when it was his turn to speak Huguely's defense attorney Francis McQ. Lawrence, painted a different version of the events of May 2. Lawrence claimed that Huguely went over to Love's room to have a talk. Love allegedly struck Huguely first with her purse, which led to a struggle on the floor and on the bed, but Lawrence maintained that Huguely left Love with "a slight nose bleed."
The defense claimed Love died from an irregular heartbeat.
Lawrence also contends that Huguely took Love's computer out of an "immature compulsiveness" so he could contrive a meeting the next day, not, as prosecutors allege, to cover his tracks.
"He's not complex, he's a lacrosse player" Lawrence reportedly said.
Prosecutors described Love's injuries as so serious that a medical examiner had to dissect her brain to determine how she died.
