Not a good day

As Prosecutor Pete Magrino made his opening statements to the jury, he pointed out that he had failed to wish them a "good morning."

It's never a good day, he said, when the state goes before 12 citizens and asks them to put a fellow citizen to death. But in some cases, this request is necessary.

What John Couey did to Jessica Lunsford was "heinous, atrocious and cruel," Magrino said. It was also premeditated, he claimed.

The aggravating circumstances surrounding the case -- Couey's kidnap and rape of Jessica, her youth, his decision to bury her alive to hinder law enforcement -- far outweigh any mitigating factors that will be presented by the defense, Magrino said.

Some cases "cry out for a death recommendation because it's legally the right thing to do," Magrino said. This, he asserted, is one of those cases.

Jurors will hear both new and old evidence related to aggravating circumstances and listen to testimony from those who have been affected by Jessica's death.

Prosecutors say they should be finished presenting their case by lunch today, though they have one witness who won't be available until Thursday morning. Mark Lunsford will not be testifying.

-- Elena Lesley