FAYETTE COUNTY — In an unusual move Friday, the attorney for a 25-year-old St. Peter man filed a motion to split Monday’s scheduled murder trial in Fayette County court into two separate phases.

Alexander Beccue is charged in Fayette County with two counts first-degree murder, Class 2 felony possession of a stolen vehicle, and Class 3 felony being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the 2017, shooting death of Joshua Smith of Ramsey.

According to Fayette County State’s Attorney Joshua Morrison, Beccue’s attorney Friday filed a motion for a bifurcated trial.

Morrison explains that the jury would first decide on the matter of guilt on the first-degree murder counts and then the same jury would go back and decide if the handgun enhancement applies in the case.

Authorities say Beccue shot Smith in the head on Aug. 11, 2017, in Fayette County.

Morrison says a handgun enhancement would add 25-years to any sentence the judge would hand down if the jury finds Beccue guilty of first-degree murder, which is punishable by between 20 years to life in prison.

Jury selection in the case is scheduled for Monday morning. While Morrison hopes a jury can be selected Monday, he says it’s possible selection could carry over into Tuesday, with opening arguments being delivered either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning. The case could be handed to the jury as early as next Friday.