Trial underway. Woman charged with murdering man who tried to reunite her with her kids.

The murder trial of Neely Raye Pesognellie Petrie Blanchard, a self-described sovereign citizen, began Tuesday morning with opening statements from the prosecution and the defendant, who is representing herself.

Blanchard fired her lawyer, local defense attorney Jack Maro, last month. She had asked for more time to get a lawyer, but the judge told her no.

Blanchard is charged with first-degree murder with a firearm in the death of Christopher Hallett, 50, who was shot and killed in his Marion Oaks residence in November 2020. She has been incarcerated at the county jail since her arrest in 2020.

Here's what we know so far:

Who gave the state's opening statement? Assistant State Attorney Amy Berndt.

What did she say? Berndt told the jury, consisting of eight men and five women, one of whom is an alternate, that Blanchard killed Hallett "in a fit of rage." She said Hallett, whom Blanchard said was like a father to her, was shot seven times, including twice in the back of the head.

Hallett was CEO of E-Clause, which he founded to assist people in regaining custody of children who were removed by state officials. He created the company because his own children were taken from him during a bitter divorce, the prosecutor said. Blanchard was connected to Hallett because her children were taken from her due to drugs and violence, Berndt said.

Sovereign citizens are anti-government individuals who don't follow the rules of the United States and don't recognize the authority of certain government/state entities. such as the Florida Department of Children and Families, the prosecutor said. Such citizens don't even acknowledge that the government can require people to have a valid driver's license to operate a motor vehicle.

The prosecutor said Hallett and Blanchard came together through E-Clause and began working together in 2017. Hallett promised to get back Blanchard's children. Hallett, who isn't a lawyer, was not making any headway with Blanchard's case. By 2020, Blanchard got angry and thought Hallett was working against her, the prosecutor said.

Berndt said on the day of the shooting, Blanchard was at Hallett's residence working on her documents. Another woman and her child were in the residence at the time of the shooting. The child saw Blanchard shoot Hallett and heard Blanchard tell her (Blanchard's) mother that she shot Hallett and needed to leave.

Marion County Sheriff's deputies were called to the scene and were able to track Blanchard to Georgia by her cellphone. Blanchard was arrested in Georgia.

Berndt said she suspects Blanchard is going to claim temporary insanity as her defense. The lawyer said there are three reasons that defense doesn't apply to this case.

First, there's law enforcement body camera footage that proves Blanchard was rational and even had the presence of mind to tell her husband not to say anything to law enforcement officials when they were detained.

Second, phone and text messages before and after the shooting showed she had the presence of mind to do what she did.

And third, a state expert will testify Blanchard was sane when Hallett was shot and killed. According to the prosecution, Blanchard said she prayed and thought about the shooting.

Did Blanchard make an opening statement to the jury? Yes. She was interrupted multiple times by the judge or the prosecutors because her remarks were not about the case. Blanchard said she was fighting for Hallett, his legacy, and for her life. She said Hallett was her mentor and friend and he's with her in the courtroom, which gives her peace.

She urged the jury to "keep an open mind" and the truth will exonerate her. She said it's not a coincidence that she and former President Donald Trump are on trial at the same time. She tried to quote the Declaration of Independence and the Bible, but both times was told she needs to stick to the case.

With Blanchard not staying on task, the judge excused the jury. She warned Blanchard she could be held in contempt of court if she doesn't follow the rules. The judge then allowed her to continue with her opening statement.

Did anyone testify on Tuesday? Yes. Berndt and Assistant State Attorney Toby Hunt shared responsibilities in questioning the state's initial set of witnesses, including law enforcement officers.

Also testifying was the young woman, now 20, who was a teenager at the time she witnessed the shooting.

The woman told the court and the jury that she heard a loud noise and, when she went outside, a shell casing fell near her.

She said she saw Blanchard shoot Hallett once. She said Blanchard "struggled with it," meaning the firearm, which appeared to be jammed.

She said Blanchard pointed the gun at her, then at Hallett. She said her mother grabbed her and they went into a bathroom to hide.

The witness said she heard Blanchard tell Hallett: "You're keeping my kids from me, you b-----d."

She said she also heard Blanchard telling her mother (Blanchard's mother) that she had shot Hallett and she needed to leave.

On cross-examination, Blanchard asked the young woman if she had discussed her testimony with her (the woman's) mother. She said she had not.

The judge or the prosecutors told Blanchard multiple times she needed to ask questions relevant to her case. For instance, when Blanchard questioned law enforcement officials, she focused on their prior military service: Which branch? How long did they serve? What was their rank?

She also wanted to know if we live in a police state, and if information from the teletype used to find her is owned by the federal government.

Sometimes, her questions were either too long or confusing. Other times, she would pause for several minutes looking through her notes before asking questions.

When reviewing pictures or exhibits introduced into evidence, Blanchard would take her time to carefully examine each item while taking notes. Asked if she objected to the evidence, she would say yes, answering they're unfairly prejudicial. Then, when it was time to ask questions, she would ask to see the items again or look through her notes for clarification.

Grieving: Mother of slain teen remains 'devastated' four months after Marion Oaks shooting

What time did the first day of trial end? Shortly before 4:45 p.m. The trial continues April 17.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Rough start for 'sovereign citizen' murder trial in Ocala