The death of a University of Virginia student in 2010 shook a campus, made national headlines, and forced Virginia to change its laws. This week, the suspect in that case will stand trial. He faces criminal charges of first-degree murder and a variety of other crimes including burglary, robbery, and grand larceny.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred on campus on May 3, 2010. Roommates of the victim found her unresponsive and called 911. When emergency crews arrived, they declared the woman dead and made note of the victim's apparent physical injuries.

Authorities rapidly honed in on the victim's ex-boyfriend, a fellow student and lacrosse player. In interviews with the police, he admitted that on the night in question, he kicked down her door and argued with her. He also admitted to seizing and shaking her, and hitting her head against the wall.

The suspect's defense will attempt to prove that the victim died from using drugs and alcohol instead of injuries to her head. Medical reports indicate that she had Adderall in her system and a blood alcohol concentration of 0.14. Amphetamine is an ingredient in Adderall.

Emotions run high in murder and domestic violence cases. Oftentimes, the victim and suspect know each other, which is the allegation in this case. No matter how horrible the crime, and no matter the emotions involved, every criminal defendant deserves to have his rights protected. The Constitution guarantees certain powerful rights to a defendant, and it takes an experienced trial lawyer to make sure that they are fulfilled to their greatest extent.

Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch, "Trial begins in death of U.Va. lacrosse player," Samantha Koon, Feb. 6, 2012.