Dana Molina, Roten's bright-yellow-haired ex-girlfriend, testifies for the state (Court TV)

CLEARWATER, Fla. (Court TV) — The jury finally got to see the woman whom the defense claims is at the heart of Jessy Roten's reason for firing a semi-automatic weapon that caused the death of his 6-year-old neighbor.

Dana Molina, ex-girlfriend of the admitted skinhead, testified about the night Roten fired the bullet that struck three biracial sisters, killing one of them.

Prosecutors have set out to prove that Roten's white supremacist beliefs led him to intentionally target the household of Terry Mance, a black man who lives with a white woman. But the defense has portrayed Roten as a lovesick teenager looking to let off some steam when a tragic accident occurred unexpectedly.

Molina testified that Roten was never violent towards minorities and even agreed that most comments he made about blacks were positive ones.

"He's just a skinhead," said Molina, who said there was a distinction between nonpolitical skinheads and those who bred racial hatred. She said Roten would be considered the "nonpolitical" type whose involvement was limited to embracing a subculture of shaved heads and punk music.

Read about Roten's mother on the stand

But while he didn't advocate racial hatred, Molina said that Roten did support racial separation.

"He thought everybody should stay with your own people," Molina said of Roten.

Molina described how she met Roten in December 1998 when they were both 17 at a skinhead party. Two months later, she moved into the home Roten shared with his mother and step-father, paying rent of $100 a week.

She testified that the day before the shooting all that adorned the door of the room she shared with Roten were a few posters.

But when police searched Roten's room hours after the April 3, 1999 shooting, they found the phrase, "Someone had too [sic] for race and nation - Jessy Roten. To all my brothers, see you in Valhalla" on the door.

The state maintains the note is tantamount to a confession that the shooting was intentional and racially motivated, though the defense says it doesn't refer to anything particular.

Valhalla, Molina explained, is a "hall for the slain warriors who fall in battle" according to Odinism, a religion based on Norse mythology which Roten embraced.

But Molina denied believing in Odinism herself. "I'm a naturalist," said Molina, whose bright yellow hair is the latest color on a head of locks that has reportedly been dyed purple.

Molina also reiterated earlier accounts of the hours prior to the shooting, in which she and Roten had an argument at a friend's house and ended the relationship.

The defense implied that Molina's alleged flirtations with two of Roten's friends — including one she subsequently dated and still lives with — gave Roten reason to be upset.

Roten left the friend's apartment and went home. When Molina went to Roten's house to pick up her things, she didn't want to go inside after learning Roten was home.

As she and a friend were driving away, she testified, she observed Roten walking towards an alley carrying a gun. As they drove further away from the house, she heard gunshots.

Molina's testimony was packed with one-word answers or "I don't recall." She denied knowing much about skinheads, their history or their symbols. Defense attorney Gregory Pond questioned whether these statements contradicted information given in Molina's August 1999 deposition. Molina denied being a skinhead herself.

Clarifying some of Molina's vague answers about the skinhead subculture was Raymond Velboom, an expert on right-wing terrorist groups.

Velboom said that the party Molina referred to as where she met Roten was an event hosted by the National Alliance, a white supremacist group.

He also said that Roten, Molina, and George Harvell, who sold the semi-automatic assault rifle to Roten, were all known to investigators prior to the shooting as attendees of white supremacy events.

Among police witnesses taking the stand briefly were forensics investigator John Huff, who recovered ammunition from the pocket of Roten's bomber jacket, and Detective John Tillia, who documented the crime scene.

Also testifying Monday afternoon were neighbors who said they heard shots being fired the night of the shooting.

Testimony resumes Tuesday morning.

—Rochelle Steinhaus

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