▁Co oke ▁and ▁said ▁he ▁intended ▁to ▁kill ▁Sh arp . ▁Based ▁on ▁the ▁circumst ant ial ▁evidence , ▁Be auch amp ▁was ▁held ▁for ▁trial ▁at ▁the ▁next ▁term ▁of ▁the ▁circuit ▁court ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 8 2 6 . ▁ ▁Be auch amp ' s ▁uncle ▁J ere bo am ▁assemble d ▁a ▁legal ▁team ▁for ▁his ▁nep hew ▁that ▁included ▁former ▁U . S . ▁Senator ▁John ▁Pope . ▁The ▁grand ▁j ury ▁conven ed ▁in ▁March ▁and ▁returned ▁an ▁ind ict ment ▁against ▁Be auch amp ▁for ▁Sh arp ' s ▁murder . ▁G iving ▁Be auch amp ▁the ▁time ▁he ▁requested ▁to ▁gather ▁witness es , ▁the ▁court ▁scheduled ▁a ▁special ▁session ▁in ▁May ▁specifically ▁for ▁his ▁trial . ▁ ▁Be auch amp ' s ▁trial ▁began ▁May ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 8 2 6 . ▁After ▁a ▁change ▁of ▁ven ue ▁was ▁denied , ▁Be auch amp ▁ple aded ▁innoc ent ▁to ▁the ▁charge ▁against ▁him . ▁A ▁j ury ▁was ▁emp ane led , ▁and ▁testim ony ▁began ▁May ▁ 1 0 . ▁El iza ▁Sh arp ▁rec ount ed ▁the ▁events ▁of ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁the ▁murder ▁and ▁re iter ated ▁that ▁Be auch amp ' s ▁voice ▁was ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁murder er . ▁John ▁L owe , ▁a ▁magistr ate ▁of ▁Sim pson ▁County , ▁test ified ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁heard ▁Be auch amp ▁threaten ▁to ▁kill ▁Sh arp , ▁and ▁said ▁that ▁on ▁Be auch amp ' s ▁return ▁from