Tormu Prall allegedly argued with his brother John Prall over household expenses and then set their home on fire, killing the brother and badly injuring the brother's girlfriend.
Tormu Prall
TRENTON — Jury selection began today in the murder trial of Tormu Prall, who is charged with setting a fire that killed his brother.
Prall, 49, appeared in court despite having previously told the judge and his attorney that he would not come to any proceedings.
He listened as Judge Andrew Smithson outlined the case to the potential jurors who were brought into a brand new courtroom inside the new Mercer County Criminal Courthouse, which opened to the public today.
Prall accused Smithson last week of being “a fake” and biased against him because the judge, during pre-trial motions, made a ruling in favor of the prosecution.
In 2007 Prall allegedly set fire to the home were he and his brother John Prall lived on the 200 block of Wayne Avenue in Trenton. His brother was killed and his brother’s girlfriend was badly injured.
Prosecutors said that Prall set the fire after he and his brother argued over household expenses.
Smithson said that potential witnesses could include officials from the Trenton police and fire department, Mercer County Sheriff's Office and the State Police, as well as law enforcement from Massachusetts and Connecticut, where Prall was taken into custody.
Prall fled to Massachusetts shortly after the fire and was extradited from Connecticut to New Jersey to face the murder charges, prosecutors said.
Other witnesses could include Tormu and John Prall’s mother Anna Prall and Kimberly Meadows, the woman injured in the blaze. John Prall’s estranged wife Jeneya Richardson could also testify, Smithson said.
The trial is expected to last eight to 10 days.