A Lawrence resident took the stand in his own defense Monday in a murder trial and said he never struck his longtime girlfriend in the stomach with a table leg.

Prosecutors accuse Christopher Belone of beating Linda Begay, 37, on July 29 in a fit of jealousy when he found her asleep in bed at another man’s home at the Gaslight Village mobile home park, 1900 W. 31st St. Begay died days later in the hospital from an abdominal infection.

Belone testified that he had smoked marijuana and was looking for Frank Mallonee to begin doing carpentry work with him. When Belone arrived at Mallonee’s residence, he said he found Begay naked in a bedroom and unresponsive.

He said he tried to help dress Begay and bring her home until she suddenly jumped on top of him. While he tried to get away from her, she grabbed a coffee table leg.

“I did get it away, and when I did get it away I hit her in the nose. She got hit across the nose and blood splattered everywhere,” Belone said.

Then, he said, he took off his shirt to clean up the blood. Belone said he and Begay eventually calmed down, entered his pickup truck and drove toward their home, which is in the same trailer park as Mallonee’s home. Before they reached their home, Begay jumped out of the vehicle and grabbed the table leg from inside the cab and ran away toward their home, Belone said.

Eventually, a friend of Begay’s took her to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, and she later was transferred to Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center in Topeka.

Belone said he grew tired of trying to help Begay. He said he drove away because he “was done” with the relationship and he figured police would be coming to the scene anyway.

Belone then spent several hours drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana near downtown Lawrence until he was arrested.

He attempted to discredit earlier testimony from witness Robin Patrick Roberts, who said Belone confirmed to him hours after the alleged attack that he had beaten Begay, and demonstrated with punching and kicking motions.

“I never said anything like ‘I beat her up’ or nothing to that effect because I didn’t,” Belone said.

During cross-examination, Assistant Douglas County District Attorney Trent Krug accused Belone of intentionally going to Mallonee’s residence because Mallonee had told him that Begay was there. Belone denied the accusation. Krug also accused Belone of breaking the coffee table leg, striking Begay in the stomach and forcing her into his vehicle.

Defense attorney Greg Robinson presented one other witness, Jorge Antonio Cervantes, who also was with Belone and Roberts on the evening of the fracas. Cervantes said Belone did not mention beating up his girlfriend.

“He said he was angry with his girlfriend, but he never mentioned he was upset,” Cervantes said.

Prosecutors finished presenting witnesses Monday morning after more than five days of testimony and 140 items of evidence.

Sindey Schueler, biology supervisor for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, testified that swabs of bloody spots from the bedroom, including the table leg, submitted by Lawrence police investigators matched Begay’s DNA.

During the trial, Robinson has said police failed to effectively investigate all evidence and any other suspects besides Belone. He also has said Mallonee had motive to hurt Begay because she would not consent to his sexual advances.

Belone is charged with second-degree murder, kidnapping, violation of a protective order and obstruction of the legal process, because police allege he gave them a false name.

Jurors are expected to begin deliberating after each side makes closing arguments this morning.