TAMPA, Fla. — Twelve jurors and three alternates will spend the next two weeks in court, hearing testimony in the case of Nahshon Shannon, the Riverview man accused of beating and killing his 13-year-old daughter.
Nahshon Shannon got a first look at the people deciding his future in a Hillsborough County courtroom.
"I'd like to welcome you to jury service," said Judge Sam Ward to potential jurors.
Judge Ward and the attorneys spent the day throwing question after question at the potential jurors.
"Only you know whether those things would prevent you from being fair and impartial and objective," she told the group.
The jury will hear more about Shannon and his daughter Janessa's death for the next two weeks.
"Mr. Shannon is charged in two counts, murder in the first-degree felony murder and aggravated child abuse," the Judge said.
Janessa lived with her father in Riverview. On June 30, 2017, her mom picked her up to spend the weekend with her in Bradenton.
Janessa's mother asked Shannon to pick their daughter up the next day. Janessa's mother said she was misbehaving. But on July 3, Shannon reported his daughter missing.
The teenager was found beaten to death and buried in a shallow grave at Triple Creek Nature Preserve on July 12.
"My first question is, is there anything about the nature of the charges in and of themselves that lead any of you to have a doubt about your ability to be fair and impartial?" Judge Ward posed to the potential jurors Friday.
According to her father, court documents provide insight into what might have happened on the night Janessa went missing.
"Nahshon Shannon attempted to give Janessa Shannon three spankings on her buttocks with a belt. He claimed Janessa Shannon took the first spanking and began to resist by moving "and all that kind of stuff." Nahshon Shannon claims she "tried to get up" by the "third spanking she's like trying to like grab the belt and all this kind of stuff," and he told her to "get down." He claims he ceased the spankings and sent Janessa Shannon to her room. He relayed Beena Nair was not present at his residence during this time. He claimed after he sent Janessa Shannon to her room, which was at approximately l0:00 PM, he watched Dragon Ball Z and took a muscle relaxer, which put him to sleep until the next morning. Nahshon Shannon does not check on Janessa Shannon until 5:00 pm on July 2, 2017, which is 19 hours after he sends her to her room."
There was also a screw found at the burial site matching the screws on Nahshon's shovel.
While Shannon claims he last saw her when he sent her off to bed, court documents reveal inconsistencies in the remainder of his story.
A deputy said, "Nahshon Shannon made a comment to him regarding being in contact with Janessa Shannon via Facebook. Nahshon Shannon did not specify a time during which the Facebook contact occurred. The messages sent by Nahshon Shannon and exchanged with Janessa Shannon could provide information regarding her location and additional Facebook accounts being used by Janessa Shannon during the time she was missing...A search of the records revealed Nahshon Shannon did not receive any such messages from Janessa Shannon as he stated to the Manatee County Deputy."
It's now up to that jury to determine if he is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
