Stevens trial begins

About 100 potential jurors recieved and answered questionnaires Monday morning as a capital murder trial began in the death of 2-year-old Jorden Saager, who died in 2000.

Her babysitter, Kim Stevens, has been indicted for her death. Medical examiners ruled Saager died as the result of blunt force trauma as a result of being beaten.

About 250 people received summons from the 235th District Court to appear Monday. However, because of various reasons, that number was whittled to 100. Today, Lisa Tanner with the Texas Attorney General's office, who is representing the state, and Roger White, who is representing Stevens, intend to question jurors to reduce that number to 12. District Attorney Cindy Stormer is uneligible to try the case because of her prior involvement as a private attorney, so Tanner was appointed to handle the case. Stormer has been called as witness in the case.

"We're going to do a little something we don't do in all cases," Visiting Judge Jerry Woodlock informed the jurors. "We're going to submit a further questionnaire to you."

He told the jurors they would be recessed until 4 p.m. Monday to complete the nine pages of questions. At 4 p.m. the jurors were scheduled to appear to hand in their questionnaires. District Clerk Pat Payne would then make copies of their answers to give to the two attorneys. The attorneys have until 1 p.m. Tuesday to review the potential jurors answers; at that time the jurors were scheduled to return to the courtroom on the second floor of the Cooke County Courthouse.

"There are questions concerning your thoughts and ideas on certain topics," Woodlock said. "We need to make certain these are your thoughts on the topics. It would be improper to have someone assist you in filling it out."

A motion to move the trial by the defense remains before Woodlock. White has argued that pre-trial publicity has prejudiced Cooke County residents against Stevens and that she would be unable to have a fair trail within the county. However, Woodlock said he would wait to rule on the motion until voir dire - the questioning of potential jury members - had begun.

On Jan. 4, 2000, Saager died because of multiple blunt force injuries to her abdomen. On the day the 2-year-old died, her mother dropped her at Stevens house and told Stevens the girl had been sick and throwing up.

Shortly after 2 p.m. that day, Jorden Saager was pronounced dead. For the first six months of the investigation law enforcement officers focused on Saager's family because of the medical examiner's time frame of when injuries could have occurred.

However, in July 2000, the medical examiner expanded the time in which the injuries could have occurred. It also opened the possibility to additional suspects, which included Stevens.

Through the next four years Investigator Kevin Benton and Texas Ranger Tony Bennie continued to work on the case. On Dec. 11, 2003, a Cooke County grand jury returned an indictment against Stevens for the death of Saager. Stevens, who was working as an emergency medical technician in Comal County, was arrested on Dec. 13, 2003, and was returned to Cooke County on Dec. 19, 2003.

Stevens has been in Cooke County Jail on a $1 million bond awaiting trial since her arraignment