Smith County Murder Trial Underway

TYLER — A jury has been seated and testimony is underway in the trial of a Smith County man accused of using a bat to kill a man. James Bales, 32, is accused of the murder of Bias Lott, 61, last March. It happened in the 22000 block of Lakeway Harbor Drive in Bullard. Deputies initially responded to a disturbance call and, upon arrival, found two men involved in an altercation. Officials said one of the men had been attacked and repeatedly hit in the head with a baseball bat. Lot was transported to a Tyler hospital where he underwent emergency surgery and died early the next morning. Bales’ trial is being held in the 114th State District Court.