Wayland Patch 2/13/13: Attorneys Will Present Opening Arguments Today in Wayland Murder Trial. The opening arguments will take place today at Middlesex Superior Court in the trial of a 20-year-old Wayland man accused of killing 18-year-old Lauren Astley, also of Wayland, in July 2011. Nathaniel Fujita was 18 years old when Astley’s body, strangled and with multiple stab wounds, was found in a Wayland marsh. He has been charged with first-degree murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery. According to Massachusetts law, Fujita faces life in prison without parole if convicted of first-degree murder.

Wayland Town Crier 2/13/13: Opening statements in Wayland murder trial today. urors today will begin hearing the case against a Wayland man accused of slaughtering his young ex-girlfriend in his home a year and a half ago. Nathaiel Fujita, 20, is charged with first-degree murder in the July 3, 2011, death of Lauren Astley, 18. Jury selection ended on Tuesday after prosecutor Lisa McGovern and Fujita’s lawyer, William Sullivan, selected the final nine jurors. They had chosen seven by the end of the day Monday. Although 16 jurors have been seated, only 12 will actually decide the case.

Boston Globe 2/12/13: Opening statements expected Wednesday in Nathaniel Fujita’s murder trial. Opening statements are expected Wednesday in the murder trial of Nathaniel Fujita, a Wayland man accused of murdering his former high-school sweetheart in July of 2011. Jury selection was completed on Tuesday at Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn. Fujita’s lawyer, William Sullivan, said on Tuesday that his client’s defense would likely rest on “a question of criminal responsibility.” On Monday, the judge told prospective jurors that the insanity defense was likely to be used by the defense.

Real time resources:

• Aggregated Twitter Feed of tweets from reporters in the courtroom
• Wayland Patch Live Blog
• Mark Katic (WBZ)
• Norman Miller (Metrowest Daily News)
• Evan Allen (Boston Globe) on Twitter
• Brooklyn Lowery (Wayland Patch) on Twitter
• #fujitatrial on Twitter

Wayland Patch 2/12/13: Full Jury Seated in Fujita Trial. The 16th juror, a woman, was seated at 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, rounding out the panel of jurors and alternates who will decide the verdict in the murder trial of Nathaniel Fujita. Fujita, now 20, was 18 years old at the time prosecutors say he killed classmate and ex-girlfriend Lauren Astley, 18, and dumped her battered and strangled body in a Wayland marsh near the Sudbury border. The jury consists of 12 individuals, seven men and five women, as well as four alternates, three men and one woman. The alternates will be present throughout the trial, but will not take part in verdict deliberations unless they are needed to replace a member of the seated jury.