Opening statements set for Monday in grandmother's trial over Alabama girl's running death

Published May 03, 2016

A jury is ready to hear opening statements in the capital murder trial of an Alabama woman accused of making her granddaughter run until she died.

Prosecutors say 49-year-old Joyce Hardin Garrard forced 9-year-old Savannah Hardin to run for hours as punishment for a lie about eating candy.

The girl eventually collapsed and died in a hospital.

The defense says Garrard is innocent and never intended to do anything to harm the girl.

Opening statements are scheduled for Monday morning. They come three years after the child's death.

Possible evidence includes what prosecutors have said is a surveillance video from a school bus. A prosecutor says Garrard told the driver she would run Savanah until "she can't run no more."

Garrard faces a possible death penalty if convicted.

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