BATON ROUGE — A judge released one of the jurors selected for a triple-homicide trial Thursday after she said she couldn't continue because she had difficulty reviewing video of carnage at an apartment complex swimming pool during the trial’s first day.

Before showing the footage on Wednesday, Judge Fred Crifasi and state prosecutors announced what was coming up and Crifasi said anyone who didn't want to see it should step out. The juror attempted to leave and was consoled by other members of the panel. Crifasi ultimately decided to release her and use an alternate.

Ladarius Coleman, 18, is accused along with his brother David Williams, 22, of killing three at the Fairway View Apartments swimming pool on Memorial Day 2021. Prosecutors have said the pair, with others, happened upon a pair of young men with whom they allegedly had been feuding, and shot them. A toddler just shy of her second birthday was caught in the crossfire and also died.

The brothers face second-degree murder charges punishable by life in prison. Williams had been set for trial with Coleman but his case was delayed until March.

They are accused of shooting Reginald Thomas Jr., 20; Dwayne Dunn Jr., 16; and Ja'Tyri Brown, 1, at the College Drive complex.

Coleman asked Crifasi to suppress a purported confession given to police after the shootings. His lawyer says that less than 11 minutes into an interrogation, Coleman asked to speak to an attorney, but questioning continued.

Crifasi granted the suppression and an abridged version of the interrogation was shown. 

During the June 2021 interrogation, Coleman said that he did not know Dunn and Thomas, saying that he told his brother “I think we should go.”

His statement contradicts multiple witness testimonies from Thursday, including one from one of Thomas and Dunn’s friends—Taliyah McDaniel—who said that she heard one of the brothers say “I told you I was gonna catch you,” and “Bitch, don’t move,” before the shooting.

Shortly after the shooting, McDaniel identified Williams as Dunn’s shooter, saying she went to high school with him. McDaniel and other witnesses also said the victims were armed.

Jacoby Brown, the toddler's father, said his family was at the pool for a holiday barbecue. He said he similarly heard one of the defendants say “I told y’all imma catch you” just before the shooting.

Moments later, he said, he heard the child's mother crying out, “My baby, my baby!”

Brown said he took his daughter to the hospital and that he was told after handing the child to a nurse that the child had died from the gunshot wound. 

“I couldn’t see her after that,” Brown said through tears.

The siblings’ mother, LaToya Coleman, is to go on trial in December on charges that she helped to pair flee to Texas to avoid arrest.

One of the witnesses called by the state, Kaleb Turner, pleaded guilty in 2023 as an accessory after the fact to second-degree murder in the killings. He was given probation and a deferred sentence. Earlier this month, the Probation and Parole office asked to have his probation revoked. A hearing was set for Sept. 3.

The trial is expected to conclude Friday.