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Judge denies motion for new trial for man convicted of girlfriend’s murder

Published August 20, 2018 8:27 PM

Judge Moore has denied a motion for a new trial for a man convicted of shooting his girlfriend in the head at their Palm Springs apartment and staging the scene to look like she took her own life was slated to be sentenced today.

James Beushausen, 35, was convicted last month of first-degree murder in the March 15, 2017, death of Jaylynn Amanda Keith, 27. Keith was found with a single gunshot wound to the center of her forehead in the bathtub of the Belardo Road apartment the couple shared.

KESQ & CBS Local 2’s Jake Ingrassia is in Indio court today for the hearing – follow his live tweets from court below:

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031617816871333888″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Court is in recess. &#lt;br&#gt;Sentencing scheduled for Oct 1 at 9:30am.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031617816871333888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031617284005982209″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Judge thanks her for coming and speaking and apologizes for the “time crunch.” Invites her to write a statement for him to review for future sentencing date. &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/3YvE9whh7i”&#gt;pic.twitter.com/3YvE9whh7i&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031617284005982209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031615747837943813″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Judge denies motions for a new trial – there could be lingering doubt or residual doubt, he says, but Beushausen was proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031615747837943813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031614904396967936″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Ms. Paradise contends, as she did in the trial, that it is inconceivable Keith killed herself given the other traumatic events she was able to withstand throughout her life. She argues Keith was never suicidal.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031614904396967936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031613854558482432″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Ms. Paradise, prosecutor, responds to Beushausen’s lawyer’s remarks. She says the scientific evidence presented in court, specifically blood spatter / shower curtain evidence, is not speculation or guesswork.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031613854558482432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031607749996474368″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Judge says question remains – why did Jaylynn kill herself – if she didn’t seem suicidal? &#lt;br&#gt;Johnson responds tens of thousands of people commit suicide each year – and many of their survivors are left with that same question.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031607749996474368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031606155091398657″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Blood experts want jury to “speculate,” says Johnson – even though there was no evidence of Beushausen’s clothes or hands being bloody. &#lt;br&#gt;Cleaning liquid was seen in the bathroom – but Johnson says it is, again, speculation, that he could have used it to clean up blood.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031606155091398657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031604985702694912″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Judge demonstrates again how Jaylynn would have had to hold the gun, given evidence, to shoot herself. Then shrugs saying jury could reasonably find it is improbable. &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/uYtSinkgxU”&#gt;pic.twitter.com/uYtSinkgxU&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031604985702694912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031603555847663616″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Judge asks Mr. Johnson directly, if Ms. Keith killed herself, why is there no blood on her wrists? &#lt;br&#gt;Johnson says his client had no evidence of high velocity blood spatter on his hands- as he contends Beushausen would have if he had killed her.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031603555847663616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031602695755321344″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Mr. Johnson, Beushausen’s lawyer, responds, saying that the decision has been based on conjecture, speculation and guesswork.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031602695755321344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031602255118516224″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;As a matter of sufficiency of the evidence and of judge’s role as 13th juror – “it is my tentative decision to deny the motion” for a new trial.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031602255118516224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031601736891289600″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Even though Beushausen didn’t testify – judge says that the jury heard his heresy statements from other people who testified — and they know what he would have said…so it isn’t necessary to grant a new trial.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031601736891289600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031601001235505152″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Judge says he doesn’t know what would be different if a new trial were to be granted. Witnesses weren’t biased or untruthful, he says.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031601001235505152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031599218287210497″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Court pulls up a photo of a courtroom recreation of shower curtain scene – the only way the shower curtain could have been in the position it was found in at the crime scene, is if a person crouched and held it this way, according to blood spatter experts who testified. &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/pE4Ptyrrv5″&#gt;pic.twitter.com/pE4Ptyrrv5&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031599218287210497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031597038507442177″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Judge Moore demonstrates how Keith would have had to position the gun to shoot herself in the forehead, as defense contends, and says it seems highly improbable or impossible. &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/wyENIc8l8C”&#gt;pic.twitter.com/wyENIc8l8C&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031597038507442177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031595601744416768″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Jose Lopez – a manager at Beushausen’s job at Home Depot – is a critical witness in this case. He established that something seemed wrong with Beushausen…who wasn’t making eye contact or participating in conversation – after other employees had brought it to Lopez’s attention&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031595601744416768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031594840755064839″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Beushausen has been listening blankly to the judge’s introduction to the sentencing. Barely any motion – let alone any visible emotion.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031594840755064839?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031594397614264322″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;”Everything seemed to be wrong with the defendant: the drinking, the outbursts, the throwing the phone against the wall,” says Judge Moore … and yet Ms. Keith was the one who wound up dead.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031594397614264322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031593740668825600″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Another one of Keith’s text messages said, “I don’t know what to do, I’m scared to leave. … I need to tell him I’m going to leave him when he’s sober.”&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031593740668825600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031593182692167680″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;”I’m scared to leave, scared to stay,” one of Keith’s text message said. “I just wish he’d stay sober.” &#lt;br&#gt;Judge says vodka played a critical role in this case.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031593182692167680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031592154802487297″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Keith was found with a single gunshot wound to the center of her forehead in the bathtub in March 2017. The jury unanimously found Beushausen guilty last month.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031592154802487297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031591508795768832″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Case has been called. Beushausen is present in custody. &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/oGZJEyWuWo”&#gt;pic.twitter.com/oGZJEyWuWo&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031591508795768832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031590636254683136″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;LIVE TWEET THREAD&#lt;br&#gt;I’m in court today for the sentencing of James Beushausen. He was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Jaylynn Keith, in their Palm Springs apartment and staging it to appear a suicide. &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/KbzlsIJv2h”&#gt;https://t.co/KbzlsIJv2h&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1031590636254683136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;August 20, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

Assistant District Attorney Michelle Paradise told jurors that Beushausen rendered Keith unconscious, placed her into the tub, then shot her while shielding himself from blood spatter behind a shower curtain.

The defendant told investigators, as well as arriving emergency personnel and a 911 dispatcher, that Keith had shot herself while he was asleep, but also made several claims that he thought she slipped and hit her head. According to Paradise, a head wound discovered by investigators occurred independently of the gunshot and hinted that Keith may have been assaulted in order to stage an apparent suicide.

The prosecutor also questioned Beushausen’s statements regarding the morning of the shooting, particularly his account that he spent between 10 and 20 minutes searching for Keith after being roused from sleep by a “popping” sound that he believed might have been coming from their air conditioner. Paradise emphasized that the apartment was about 430 square feet and that the bathroom would have been easily visible from the couple’s bed. She also described Beushausen as “a gun enthusiast” who regularly went shooting, and should have known what a gunshot sounds like.

Paradise told jurors that the couple’s relationship was deteriorating over Beushausen’s alcoholism, which led him to undergo rehab stints and triggered several arguments between the two.

The prosecutor quoted a Dec. 28, 2016, text from Keith to a friend, in which she wrote: “James has been drinking for the last four days. This might be the end for us. This tops it all.”

According to Paradise, Keith had come to the breaking point in their nearly five-year relationship and was going to leave if Beushausen wouldn’t stop drinking.

On March 14, the day prior to her death, Keith texted family members that Beushausen got “psycho on me” during an altercation in which he smashed his cell phone and screamed at her, Paradise said. Keith was going to tell him she was leaving him after he sobered up, and said she was afraid things would get “physically bad” when she told him, according to the prosecutor.

In one text message, she relayed to a friend that Beushausen had taken a pistol out of his gun safe, which scared her and caused her to take the safe keys and hide them, Paradise said.

Paradise vehemently denied that Keith was suicidal, and said that even Beushausen told police that Keith had never expressed any suicidal feelings.

Beushausen’s attorney, Greg Johnson, argued that a bladder syndrome was causing Keith substantial pain and was another stressor on their relationship, pushing her to take her own life.

He said two internet searches were made on her cell phone referencing interstitial cystitis, one on March 12 on “IC depression” and another on March 15, about 40 minutes prior to when Beushausen called 911, on “IC suicide rate.”

Paradise countered that Beushausen used Keith’s phone to call 911 and was seen using her phone after investigators arrived at the apartment. The prosecutor called the searches “a red herring” and “an excuse to plant a seed because this is supposed to be made up to look like suicide.” She said Keith’s doctor said her illness was “stabilized” and that medication was proving successful in controlling her pain.

Johnson contended that Keith was in more pain — both physically and emotionally — then she let on to loved ones, and described her relationship with Beushausen as the final straw in a rough life that included losing her home, which burned down shortly following her father’s death.

In the months following his girlfriend’s death, Beushausen quit his job and moved back to his hometown of McAllen, Texas, where he was eventually arrested by Palm Springs investigators on Oct. 18 in the parking lot of a shopping center.