Jury trial begins for woman charged with killing her 6-year-old son

Mia Laube KSTP

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The jury trial for a woman accused of killing her 6-year-old son in Mound last year began Monday morning in Hennepin county.

Court documents show 28-year-old Julissa Thaler is charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder in the death of her son, Eli Hart.

As previously reported, police officers found Thaler covered in blood during a traffic stop in May 2022. Afterward, officers found Hart’s body and a shotgun in the trunk of the car.

Medical examiners determined Hart had been shot as many as nine times.

Thaler’s attorney provided a statement earlier this month after Thaler was indicted on the first-degree murder charge:

“The only surprise in this indictment is how long it’s taken the County Attorney’s office to get one. We must all respect the undeniable fact that right now Ms. Thaler is presumed innocent, and at trial the defense will point out the reasonable doubts that lurk in the evidence.”
Assistant Public Defender Bryan Leary

Check back for updates as 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS monitors the progression of the trial.