Opening statements in the murder trial of Joseph Elledge reveal Elledge killed Mengqi Ji
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Both sides presented their opening statements in the Joseph Elledge murder trial in court Tuesday, revealing both the prosecution and defense agree Elledge killed Mengqi Ji in their apartment.
Elledge is charged with first-degree murder and is accused of killing his wife Mengqi Ji in October 2019. Both sides will work to convince a jury whether or not Elledge intended to kill Ji at their east Columbia apartment. Prosecutors believe Elledge intended to kill her, theorizing he may have strangled her. Defense attorneys argued Ji's death was accidental.
Defense attorney Scott Rosenblum said Ji's death was a "tragic accident", saying Elledge pushed Ji and she hit her head. Ji then got up and went to bed. Rosenblum said when Elledge awoke in the middle of the night, he found Ji dead.
Rosenblum said Elledge put Ji's body in his car in a "dissociative state."
"He didn't overreact in a violent way," Rosenblum said of the fight. "He pushed to get to his daughter. She lost her balance and fell, and hit her head, and it was a thud."
Prosecuting Attorney Dan Knight is arguing first-degree murder, saying that Elledge abused Ji before killing her.
"Even in his mother's presence, the defendant said he had...a craving to smack Mengqi and physically beat her down," Knight said.
Knight played the first of several hours of recordings made by both Ji and Elledge from 2018 to the time of her death. The recordings showed the couple fighting over marital and family issues, including the presence of Ji's mother at their Columbia apartment.
The two then sat down with Joseph's mother, Jean Elledge, in 2018 for a couple's therapy session Jean Elledge guided. The two talked about their fear of one another. Joseph Elledge said at one point he sometimes felt like he wanted to hit Ji, but didn't like feeling that way.
The comment played a part in Knight's opening statements. He said the recordings of Elledge's dissatisfaction with Ji and their marriage shows his intent to hurt her.
Jury Selection - Monday, Nov. 1
Around 100 potential jurors were questioned on Monday by the prosecution, defense, and Judge Brouck Jacobs.
Potential jurors were questioned by the prosecutor on if they knew about Mengqi Ji or her family or if they knew any witnesses in the case.
Defense attorney Scott Rosenblum questioned potential jurors on how they might deal with evidence surrounding an accident. Rosenblum asked jurors if they agreed that if Ji died from a "tragic accident," then they could not say Elledge was guilty of murder. He asked jurors then if they would be able to consider a lesser charge such as voluntary or involuntary manslaughter against Elledge if there was a "tragic accident".
Out of all of the potential jurors questioned, a dozen jurors were sworn in to serve on the trial around 6:15 p.m.
Case Background
Mengqi Ji was reported missing to police by her husband, Joseph Elledge on Oct. 10, 2019. Elledge reported his wife had not come home the night before.
Elledge was arrested on Oct. 25 and charged with child abuse and neglect after officers found evidence of abuse to the couple's only child during Ji's missing person investigation.
During this time, law enforcement considered Elledge the primary suspect in his wife's disappearance.
Investigators then spent over a year on-and-off searching for Mengqi Ji's body in the Lamine River in Cooper County due to cell phone records from Elledge.
In February of 2020, a grand jury indicted Elledge on a charge of first-degree murder for the death of his wife.
In March of this year, a hiker at Rock Bridge State Park found human remains.
In April, the remains were confirmed to be those of Mengqi Ji through her dental records. Personal identification documents found at the scene, including her driver's license, also helped identify the remains.
Prosecutors claim Elledge strangled Ji to death.
