The man accused of beating and killing his longtime girlfriend last summer in Lawrence will testify after prosecutors call up to 43 witnesses in a trial that began Monday.

“The state will tell you what they think happened inside that trailer, but Christopher Belone will tell you what happened in that house,” Belone’s attorney Greg Robinson said during his opening statement.

Prosecutors allege that on July 29 in a fit of jealousy, Belone beat and dragged his 37-year-old girlfriend, Linda Begay, from the home of a friend after Begay drank alcohol and slept there. Begay died days later at a hospital from an infection caused by blunt trauma to her abdomen, according to earlier testimony by Douglas County Coroner Erik Mitchell.

Belone is charged with second-degree murder, kidnapping, obstruction and violation of a protection order in connection with the death of his girlfriend of six years.

“He punched or stabbed her in the stomach three times with what she could only describe as a two-by-four,” Assistant Douglas County District Attorney Eve Kemple said during her opening statement.

Both sides expect the trial to last several days, as they will likely introduce physical evidence, photos and audio recordings of interviews with Begay before she died and Belone. The jury also is expected to hear the couple’s abuse history, with acts committed by both parties.

Kemple acknowledged that Begay “liked to drink and party.”

“Unfortunately for Linda, Christopher Belone was a jealous boyfriend,” she said.

But Robinson said investigators had “tunnel vision” in the case and focused on Belone while ignoring other evidence and people, such as Frank Mallonee, who owned the trailer where Begay had passed out. Mallonee has testified at an earlier hearing that he was also extremely intoxicated that day.

Robinson said Belone found Begay naked and asleep in Mallonee’s bed, so he tried to wake her, get her dressed and bring her home, but she became combative and attacked him.

Lawrence police officer Anthony Brixius, who responded to the scene and interviewed an injured Begay at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, was the only witness to testify Monday.

“In my estimation, she was extremely intoxicated, but she was still able to communicate,” Brixius said.

Begay told him Belone had beaten her, Brixius testified. He and another officer searched and photographed the bedroom in Mallonee’s trailer, which he said was covered with blood spots and clumps of hair. His testimony will continue at 9 a.m. today in Douglas County District Judge Jack Murphy’s courtroom.

Jury selection took most of the day Monday, as attorneys for both sides questioned potential jurors about several issues, including alcohol abuse and domestic violence.