In laying out

the theory which accuses Jim Watson of murdering his wife, Fulton County

prosecutor Sheila Ross told the jury Wednesday that he gave several different

stories to police in the days and months after his wife Beverley disappeared

from their south Fayette County home.

Jim Watson's

attorney, Lee Sexton, countered that his client plans to take the stand

to defend himself of the murder charge and answer various allegations.

In her opening

statement Wednesday, Ross alleged that Jim Watson wore makeup to conceal

scratches on his face when he allowed police to search his residence two

days after Beverley Watson's disappearance.

Ross argued

that the scratches were a mark from his wife Beverley which prove there

was a physical struggle between the two when she disappeared in January

1997 from the couple's south Fayette County home.

Although police

found no blood in the Watsons' home after Beverley's disappearance, it

is possible Jim Watson could have killed his wife by strangling her, which

would leave no blood, Ross said. However, the prosecutor admitted that

the medical examiner was unable to determine how Beverley Watson died

after examining the bones that were discovered in a wooded area of south

Fulton County over two years after she disappeared.

Sexton hammered

that point at the jury.

"There

will be no forensic evidence at all that ties Jim Watson to the death

of Beverley Watson," Sexton said.

Beverley Watson's

car also helped police connect a link between Jim Watson and the location

where her remains were found, Ross said. The red Dodge Avenger had "atmospheric

dust" which attaches itself to vehicles when they travel on gravel

roads, she noted. Hours before Beverley Watson disappeared, she visited

a friend in Stockbridge, Debbie White, who said Mrs. Watson's car was

"clean" at the time.

Beverley Watson's

remains were found just off Red Mill Road, which is a gravel road near

Fairburn, Ross said.

Ross also claimed

Jim Watson lied to a Fayette County sheriff's deputy he first called to

ask when he could legally report his wife missing. Jim Watson told that

deputy that he wanted to hold off on the report so he could drive by several

of her friends' homes and see if her car was there, Ross said.

But deputies

found Beverley Watson's car in the couple's garage when police went to

search the house after she was reported missing, Ross said.

As to the "covered-up"

scratches on Jim Watson's face, the jury will hear three different explanations

during the trial, Ross said:

From Beverley

herself, which Watson allegedly told the Georgia Bureau of Investigation;

From keys

Beverley threw at him during the argument, which Watson originally told

police; or

When Watson

was putting the family pet outside, as one of Watson's former coworkers

at the Riverdale Police Department will testify.

Sexton told

the jury that his client will testify to defend himself of various allegations.

When he reported

her disappearance two days after he says she stormed off from their home

on foot in January 1997, Jim Watson allowed police to search his home,

giving sheriff's detectives the key to his home, Sexton said.

Jim Watson

eventually decided that his wife had left him and the kids, and he notified

personnel at the children's schools to be on the lookout for Beverley

Watson and make sure she doesn't take the kids with her, Sexton said.

"This

is not the first Beverley walked away from their home without telling

Jim or the children where she was going," Sexton said.

But it was

a cold night when Beverley Watson allegedly walked away from the couple's

south Fayette home, reaching 11 degrees, Ross noted.

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