This story was updated at 1:36 p.m. on Nov. 2, 2011.

Jayna Murray was alive during the beating that left her skull cracked in multiple places, and she died later of a stab wound to the base of her brain, a medical examiner testified today during the trial of Brittany Norwood, who is charged with first-degree murder in Murray’s death.

Dr. Mary Ripple of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore said Murray had at least 331 wounds to her body.

“That’s conservative, there were probably more than that,’’ Ripple said.

Ripple said blunt-force trauma, stabbing and cutting injuries to Murray’s body overlapped in several areas, making it difficult to count the exact number of injuries.

State’s Attorney John McCarthy is being permitted by the judge to show nine photos from Ripple’s autopsy report. McCarthy originally intended to show all 37 photos from the autopsy, but the judge ruled many of the photos too prejudicial.

One of the photos shows how a blunt weapon pulled Murray’s scalp from her skull. Ripple said she believed Murray lived through most of the attack, because there was blood and bruising around the injuries, which can only happen when the heart is beating. Bruising was also detected deep into Murray’s brain.

“Jayna Murray was alive for every one of these blows,’’ McCarthy said.

Ripple testified that Murray likely died shortly after a stab wound to the back of her head hit the base of her brain. Murray’s family left the courtroom during the medical examiner’s testimony.

On cross examination by defense attorney Douglas Wood, Ripple said that Murray could have fallen unconscious early in the attack. Wood also tried to show during his questioning that injuries such as abrasions to the hands could have been caused by punching someone; Ripple had testified earlier that Murray had as many as 83 wounds to her hands, arms and legs that were likely sustained as she tried to defend herself.

Wood has argued since the trial began that both women were fighting at the store that night and Norwood simply "lost control."

Murray, 30, was found dead inside the lululemon athletica store on Bethesda Row on March 12, and Norwood originally told police that two men had attacked her and her coworker and killed Murray the night before, police said. But Norwood’s story quickly crumbled, and Norwood, 29, was soon arrested and charged in Murray’s killing, police said.

Opening statements began last week, when McCarthy detailed the bloody store and Wood admitted that Norwood killed Murray.

Both attorneys agree that the case hinges on whether the killing was pre-meditated. First-degree murder, which requires proof of pre-meditation, carries a maximum penalty of life without the possibility of parole (the death penalty can be applied only if another violent crime was committed at the same time as pre-meditated murder).

Closing arguments are expected to begin at 2 p.m., though Wood has not said whether he plans to call any witnesses to the stand.

Judge Robert A. Greenberg told the jury to tell their families during the lunch break that they may be unreachable during the afternoon and into the evening for deliberation. If Wood can show Norwood did not plan to kill Murray, a jury could find her guilty of second-degree murder, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison with the possibility of early release.

dgaines@gazette.net

Staff writer Jeremy Arias contributed to this report.