Mother accused of throwing kids from Shreveport's Cross Lake Bridge will represent herself

Ureka Black requested to be her own counsel in Caddo District Court Monday morning just three hours before jury selection.

In Judge Donald Hathaway's courtroom on Sept. 11, Black stood in front of her counsel, Elizabeth Gibson and Hathaway and stated, "I want to represent myself."

Hathaway asked, "have you given this a lot of thought?"

Black faces second-degree and attempted second-degree murder charges and could face a life sentence.

Hathaway did order that Gibson remain on standby during the trial for any assistance for Black.

Black is accused of throwing two of her children off the Cross Lake Bridge in 2021. Black's 10-month-old son was pronounced dead at the scene. Her five-year-old son was responsive but injured. His statements to authorities were released in court filings late last week.

Court documents disclose chilling new details of 2021 Shreveport Cross Lake Tragedy

Officers and first responders continued the search for a third child, who was later found unharmed.

Shreveport Police Detectives and Louisiana State Police located Black at a rest area in Waskom, Texas later that afternoon.

Opening arguments are in Black's trial are scheduled for Tuesday morning.

More: Court documents disclose chilling new details of 2021 Shreveport Cross Lake Tragedy

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Mother accused of throwing kids from Cross Lake Bridge will represent herself