Trial begins in Beaumont over fatal April 2023 home robbery

The 252nd District Court in Jefferson County, Texas, heard opening statements and the first witness testimony Tuesday in the case of the State of Texas v. Paul Edward Westbrooks Jr., Cause No. 23DCCR0329. The state charged Westbrooks with aggravated robbery that it says caused the death of Robyn Dodson during an incident at 1830 Elgie Street in Beaumont in the early hours after midnight on April 10, 2023.

Prosecutor Evan Smith told jurors in opening that "the facts are fairly simple," saying the state would show three men entered the house to rob its occupants and that two men later died. Defense attorney Christopher Vasquez told jurors in his opening that the defense would show there is reasonable doubt, saying, "you'll have reasonable doubt" when the evidence is complete.

The court admitted a recorded 911 call and body-worn-camera footage as evidence during the morning session. Carolyn Lewis, supervisor of the Beaumont Police Department 911 center, authenticated the department's recording and identified it as the April 10, 2023, 911 call about a shooting at 1830 Elgie Street; she testified the recording shown to the jury was "Yes, sir. It is." The recording was marked and received as State's Exhibit 1. Later, Sergeant Jake Best of the Beaumont…