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# Murder trial of local businessman underway
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/murder-trial-of-local-businessman-underway/
- Published: 2003-06-11T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T02:18:10.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Crime, Pico, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

After three days, jurors are still being selected in the murder trial of a Santa Monica businessman.

Lawyers are expected to make opening arguments today in the case against Michael Ward Bell, 54, of Los Angeles.

Bell is accused of fatally shooting Andre Watson last July in front of BT Automotive, the Pico Boulevard auto repair shop that Bell operated.

Watson, described as a transient, was shot six times. Witnesses and police officers testified in a January preliminary hearing that Bell allegedly aimed a.357 Smith & Wesson revolver on Watson and fired multiple rounds.

Local merchants said Watson had spent most of the afternoon hanging out on the street in front of BT Automotive, located on the 2600 block of Pico Boulevard. John Raphling, Ward’s public defender, has said Bell acted in self defense after he was threatened and attacked by Watson.

Jury selection began on Friday in the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Steven Van Sicklen at the Airport Courthouse near LAX.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 11, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061103.pdf?ref=smdp.com)