After 29 months, the second-degree murder trial of Lester Williams began Monday.

Jury selection in the trial of Williams, 56, began at 1:40 p.m. with state District Judge Lori Landry presiding at the Iberia Parish Courthouse. Approximately 100 potential jurors appeared in the courtroom.

Williams is charged with one count of second-degree murder in the Feb. 20, 2006, death of his wife, Cynthia, who was 52 at the time of her death.

Advertisement

Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the Williams home at 3506 W. Spanish Trail in New Iberia after Lester Williams called and told them his wife was not breathing. Deputies found her lying on a bed, unresponsive.

Her death was ruled a strangulation, and two days later Williams was charged in connection with her death.

Landry excused several potential jurors due to not meeting certain requirements for jury service, such as age, U.S. citizenship, residency in Iberia Parish and others.

A total of 19 people completed the next round of selection, from which 12 jury members will be selected.

They were asked questions regarding what relationship, if any, they may have with the defendant or with lawyers involved with the case — Assistant District Attorney Bo Duhe is prosecuting the case, Ferdinand Valteau III is Williams’ lawyer — if they themselves have been charged with a crime or if they were familiar with the facts of the case.

District Attorney Phil Haney estimates the trial could last three or four days following the completion of the jury selection process, which is expected to conclude some time today.

“The case was brought to the grand jury and after hearing the evidence they returned an indictment for second-degree murder,” Haney said.

Haney said, if convicted, Williams is facing an automatic life sentence without the possibility of parole, probation or suspended sentence.