By LEONARD GRAY-Staff Reporter

HAHNVILLE – Calvin Couvillion’s trial for the second-degree murder of James Lester Rogers of LaPlace began Monday in Hahnville, following selection of the 12-member jury, including eight women and six men, including two alternates.

Opening statements and prosecution testimony started Tuesday, and the trial is expected to conclude Thursday.

Last March, Brandon Stein confessed in open court to killing his best friend during a drunken brawl, and choking him to death on the evening of Mardi Gras, Feb. 12, 2002. A jury took three and a half hours to decide he had specific intent and convicted Stein of second-degree murder, which has a mandatory life sentence.

Stein’ received a mandatory life sentence from 29th Judicial District Judge Robert Chaisson last June. Chaisson is now presiding over Couvillion’s trial.

Couvillion, now 23, of Paradis, is accused of assisting in overpowering Rogers during Stein’s attack. Couvillion is defended by Luling attorney Randy Lewis. Prosecutor is Julie Cullen of the Louisiana Attorney General’s office.

Stein, now 21, of Reserve, and his cousin, Timothy Prudhomme, now 19, also of Reserve, along with Rogers, then 17, all went to the residence of Calvin Couvillion, now 23, in Paradis that night.

Prudhomme’s trial date has not yet been set.

According to the testimony in Stein’s trial, Rogers, the son of LaPlace veterinarian Dr. Wayne Rogers, expressed his desire to leave in his own vehicle which brought Stein and Prudhomme to the holiday gathering. Stein declared his unwillingness to leave, removed his belt and choked Rogers to death. At the same time, Stein alleged, Couvillion assisted Stein by beating and punching the immobilized youth.

Rogers was 5-feet-7-inches and 140 pounds, according to a missing-person flyer issued by the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office. Stein is 6-feet-3-inches and 155 pounds, while Couvillion was 6-feet-4-inches and 175 pounds, according to the police report.

After Rogers’ death, Prudhomme and Couvillion allegedly helped in the disposal of the body. “I didn’t have any reason to kill him,” Stein said in court. “I was out of it.”