Testimony has begun in the trial of a Marion County man charged with the murder of his mother in 2015.

The first-degree murder trial of Jason Carter is being held in Council Bluffs, after being transferred there due to pre-trial publicity.

Opening arguments saw Marion County Attorney Ed Bull point out the timeline of the investigation; he noted how long it took investigators to unravel details during the first few days following the death of Shirley Carter in June 2015…and how much Jason Carter already seemed to know concerning the circumstances of her shooting.

Defense Attorney Christine Branstad told the jury Carter’s family knew of no tension or hostility between he and his mother, and the timeline of events on the day of the murder the state is offering doesn’t add up.

Initial witnesses called by the prosecution were used to establish background, including a timeline of some of the principals in the case.