When the trial of Jamie Lee Chris Schammel resumes Monday, the attention will focus on Chad Seyes.

Schammel's defense attorney Ross Leuning told District Judge Fred W. Wellmann in court Friday that Seyes will be questioned about any criminal activity in connection with the methamphetamine murder case involving Schammel.

However, Schammel himself may be the subject of new curiosity.

Schammel was jailed overnight Friday. The Mower County Jail confirmed that Schammel was arrested by Austin Police Department officers and held in jail over the weekend, pending his first appearance in court on any charges. The jail did not release why he was arrested.

On Friday, testimony ended with the defense attorney's assertion he would ask -- in court -- a second prosecution witness about any role in the drug lab incident that caused the death of a man in January 2001 and the disfigurement of Schammel.

Judge Wellmann pointedly asked defense attorney Leuning and the prosecution if any future witnesses will be questioned about their criminal activity.

The first incident of such questioning came late Friday when Todd Duane Nolta, 33, of Austin, took the witness stand for the prosecution.

Nolta and Seyes were named by defendant Schammel at a fall pretrial hearing as possible co-conspirators in the manufacturing of methamphetamine at a southwest Austin residence. His attorney made a specific request to have a confidential informant for investigators identified.

On Friday, Nolta answered prosecutor Steve Schleicher's queries about his activities on the night in question.

Under defense counsel's cross examination, he admitted he suffers from agoraphobia and remains in his home much of the time, preferring to use video surveillance cameras to identify visitors.

With a shaved head and wearing a leather jacket and blue jeans, Nolta said he knew Troy Meyer, who was convicted of murder in connection with the same case, and Seyes, who was a childhood friend.

Nolta, who was subpoenaed to testify for the prosecution, said he went looking for his friend, Meyer, late Jan. 12 or early Jan. 13, 2001. He found him at the residence shared by James Erick Chilson and his live-in girlfriend, Sandra Jean Johnson, and her then-4-year-old child.

Nolta told the court, he went into the basement to talk with Meyer and saw Chilson, Schammel and Seyes as well as Meyer.

Chilson left the basement and went upstairs only to come running down the steps moments later yelling, "The cops are in the alley," according to Nolta's testimony.

Nolta then went upstairs and when he was at the front door about to leave the residence, he testified "I heard the sound of shattering glass."

The sound was an apparent flash-fire explosion, when materials used to manufacture methamphetamine were ignited in the basement.

Nolta, Seyes and Meyer escaped injury. Chilson died six weeks after the explosion of injuries suffered in the explosion. Schammel was also seriously injured, but recovered.

Meyer, 35, of Austin, turned himself in and stood trial on third degree murder charges. He plea-bargained a 12-year prison term.

Schammel is now on trial for one count of felony third degree murder in connection with Chilson's death. He also faces two counts of first degree controlled substance crime charges.

Beginning with the pretrial hearing last fall and continuing last week in court, the defense has seemed to try to convince the jury that Schammel was, perhaps, a customer of the drug manufactured in the basement of Chilson's house and not a murderer or a conspirator to murder.

Under cross examination Friday by the defense attorney, Nolta said he was not currently on speaking terms with his childhood friend Seyes "because of this trial and other things he (Seyes) was doing."

He maintained, "I wasn't even aware what was going on until I got there that evening."

Wellmann ordered a short recess and after the jurors left the courtroom, the judge advised Nolta of his 5th Amendment and other rights to avoid self-incrimination.

When the trial resumed, defense attorney Leuning asked Nolta if he had been charged in connection with the murder case and Nolta replied, "No, Sir. I wasn't doing anything there. I just stopped by to see a friend."

Judge Wellmann recessed the trial for the weekend after Nolta was dismissed as a witness.

He ordered the jurors not to discuss the case with anyone or to expose themselves to any media reports of the trial.

Schleicher is an Assistant Minnesota Attorney General. Co-counsel is Mower County Attorney Patrick W. Flanagan.

Juror selection began last Monday and opening statements were heard Thursday.

The first witness called by the prosecution was Austin Police Officer Ryan Leif.

The police officer inadvertently came upon the methamphetamine lab early Jan. 13, 2001, when he stopped in an alley behind the Chilson residence at 1009 11th Ave. SW and heard glass shattering.

When Leif went to the front of the house, he observed Chilson running from the residence naked. He put him in his squad car and called for assistance.

Also testifying last week was a Drug Enforcement Administration expert, who said materials collected from the fire-explosion scene tested positive for traces of methamphetamine.

Austin Police Detective David T. Schaefer spent much of Friday on the witness stand, testifying to his role as primary investigator in the case.

Also testifying Friday was 90-year-old Anna Booth, who lives across 11th Avenue SW from the Chilson-Johnson residence.

Booth testified that police found bloody palm prints on her garage after the flash fire-explosion two years ago.

Another prosecution witness was Lynn Douglas Thoen, a Blooming Prairie farmer, who testified he had anhydrous ammonia stolen from his farming operation.

When the court was in recess, the defendant came and went from the courtroom unimpeded.

Schammel's trial will reconvene 9 a.m. Monday.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com