By Mark Bellune

markbellune@yahoo.com

Tim Jones Jr.’s fate rests in the hands of 12 Lexington County jurors.
They will decide if he lives or dies for murdering his 5 kids.
Jones was convicted Tuesday of murdering his 5 children — Merah, 8; Elias, 7; Nahtahn, 6; Gabriel, 2 and Elaine Abigail, 1 — in their Red Bank home in August 2014.
“He bares sole responsibility for the murders of his children,” 11th Circuit assistant solicitor Suzanne Mayes told the jury Thursday in opening the state’s request to execute Jones.
“In this case the appropriate sentence is death.”
Boyd Young for the defense countered, “You don’t have to kill Tim Jones.”
“With your verdict you have guaranteed Tim Jones won’t walk the streets ever again.
“Life means life without the possibility of parole... it means he will die in prison.”
The prosecution called many witnesses before a recess was called for the day due to a scheduling issue.
Some of the testimony Thursday included video recordings from Tim Jones’ ex-wife’s phone.
On it, 8-year-old Merah is crying, “I want mommy.”
It was a video sent to Amber Kyzer, his ex-wife. Court testimony indicated Tim Jones was angry for his wife leaving him and was trying to exact revenge on her through the children.
In another cellphone video to their mother, emotionally distressed 7-year-old Elias says, “I miss you.” 
Jones appears to be crying at this point in the trial.
When jury selection began last month, Jones was clean shaven and his head bald.
His hair was been growing and he has kept his face clean-shaven until now.
Jones showed beard growth on his face Thursday.
A Sheriff’s Office spokesman said he was not aware if Jones was or was not allowed to use a razor after the guilty verdict.
An audio of Jones from jail speaking with his father and stepmother had eerie words like “redrum” repeated multiple times by Jones.
It is a reference to “redrum” from the movie and book called “The Shining.”
Spelled backward redrum is murder.
In that audio recorded by the prison, Jones said he “might off himself.”
Pathologist Janice Ross recounted her earlier testimony of the children’s deaths as homicidal violence and evidence of strangulation.
6-year-old Nahtahn had a cut on his leg like a saw blade.
Jones bought items at a West Columbia Walmart the state says he intended to dispose of the children’s bodies including saws and acid.
A Saxe Gotha Elementary School educator visibly wept at describing her time with some of the kids, most notably Elias.
Now the principal at Red Bank Elementary, Janet Ricard said Saxe Gotha built a memorial in the school library for the murdered kids as a safe haven for their students.
It is called “Jones Beach” because “they always loved going to the beach,” she said.
Babysitter Joy Lorick ended the day’s testimony in tears describing the children.
“Gabe,” she said of the toddler. “He had a smile that would light up a room.”
Testimony is scheduled to resume Friday morning.