Shelton Jackson trial gets underway

Shelton Jackson's second trial began Friday afternoon. A first jury convicted him of murdering his girlfriend, Monica Decator and severely injuring her little boy, Oz. <br><br>But Jackson won a new

Friday, March 14th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Shelton Jackson's second trial began Friday afternoon. A first jury convicted him of murdering his girlfriend, Monica Decator and severely injuring her little boy, Oz.

But Jackson won a new trial on appeal, after he successfully argued his first attorney was inadequate. News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright covered the first trial in the late 90's and sheâ€™s covering this one as well.

This was a case that enraged the community. A little boy, beaten with a brick, left in the freezing cold overnight, under a house that was scheduled for demolition in just 12 hours. Shelton Jackson's own mother testified against him in the first trial saying he was in a hurry to catch a bus to Houston the day after 23-year-old Monica Decator's body was found, in her burning house. She'd been stabbed.

Tulsa Police got Jackson off the bus in McAlester. They say he confessed to the murder and told them where he'd dumped the boy. Officers were shocked little Oz was still alive. Tulsa showed an outpouring of support for the little boy who survived, but has severe mental and physical disabilities. Jackson had been Decator's boyfriend, but was not the father of her child.

The autopsy revealed she was three months pregnant at the time of her murder. Oz has lived with his grandmother since then. We're told she has been ill so we don't know if she'll be able to travel to Tulsa for this second trial.

And the judge in this case, Jesse Harris, ruled Oz cannot be seen on the same floor as the trial for fear it will prejudice the jurors.