Defendant pleads not guilty as trial begins in Jefferson County fentanyl death case

A trial session in the 252nd District Court in Jefferson County opened with prosecutors saying evidence will show that fentanyl delivered by the defendant, Harry Francis Lowenthal, caused the death of a man found at 1005 Houston Street in China, Texas, on April 15, 2023. Lowenthal pleaded not guilty while a jury was seated and sworn.

The prosecution told jurors it will present family members, first responders, an autopsy and cell‑phone records to show the chain of events. "The evidence in this case will show that on April fifteenth of 2023, fentanyl killed" the victim, prosecutor Coleman told jurors, and prosecutors said records place the defendant's phone in the area of the victim's home around the time of the death.

The prosecution's opening: why the state says it matters

Prosecutor Coleman opened by summarizing what the state expects jurors to hear: family members who found the victim, first responders who pronounced him, toxicology showing fentanyl in his system, and telecommunication records that place the defendant's phone near the scene. The indictment read at the start of the session charges Lowenthal with recklessly manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance (fentanyl) that resulted in a death, citing penalty group 1b and sections of the Texas Health and Safety Code recited in court.

Defense counsel's opening: reasonable doubt

Defense attorney Reynolds told jurors the case raises reasonable doubt about who supplied the drugs and whether the defendant caused the death.…