Man faces up to life sentence

Alonso Torres Urias' trial started off with tearful testimony Tuesday in Judge Denn Whalen's 70th District Court.

The 48-year-old is charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child younger than 14 and three counts of indecency with a child for crimes that allegedly happened in April 2006. Urias was arrested in July 2007 after his accuser went to police and has been in the Ector County Detention Center since on a $50,000 bond.

The accuser is Urias' step-granddaughter. She had lived with him and her grandmother on Odessa's west side for most of her life.

Ector County Assistant District Attorney Scott Layh is trying the case and declined comment.

Attorney Ray Fivecoat is representing Urias, who faces life in prison for the aggravated assault charges and up to 20 years for the indecency counts.

Fivecoat wouldn't divulge his defense strategy Tuesday, saying he preferred to get through all the state's evidence before discussing the case. Day two of the trial begins today at 9 a.m.

"This is probably a grandfather or even a dad's worst nightmare - this type of accusation," Fivecoat said in opening statements.

Urias' accuser was the first to take the stand.

"My mom's stepdad touched me in ways that no girl should be touched," she said.

The accuser's mother testified through tears that she moved her daughter out of Urias' home immediately after she was given a letter, written by her daughter, which accused Urias' of touching her inappropriately. The accuser gave the letter to her grandmother first.

Medical Center Hospital Safety and Security Director Brad Timmons said a medical exam of the accuser found physical evidence that was consistent with her outcry. That's what prompted Urias' arrest.

Timmons testified that Urias denied all accusations after his arrest.

A TWIST:

>> The jury in Alonso Torres Urias' trial is all male. District Judge Denn Whalen said this is the first time in 26 years that he's presided over a case with an all-male jury. Defense attorney Ray Fivecoat said it's not necessarily a good or a bad thing, just unusual.