Murder defendant Dale Derrick Rodriguez Jr. and his alleged victim didn’t know each other or that they had been sleeping with the same woman when they met each other for the first time in the woman’s Aliamanu home in the early morning of Dec. 9 last year, defense lawyer Michael Green told a state jury Wednesday.

Rodriguez, 42, is on trial for murder for fatally beating state parolee Jesse Waikiki in the middle of Salt Lake Boulevard fronting the woman’s home.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office says Waikiki, 33, died from blunt force injuries of the face.

Deputy Prosecutor Scott Bell told the jury in opening statements Wednesday that Rodriguez had both hands on a metal bar when he delivered forceful blows to Waikiki’s face while Waikiki was on the ground on his back. He said Waikiki suffocated on his own blood, bits of bone, teeth and tissue.

Green said Rodriguez beat Waikiki in defense of himself and others after seeing Waikiki knock out the woman with whom they had both been sleeping. He said Waikiki then taunted and threatened Rodriguez.

There is little dispute between the prosecution and defense as to what lead up to the fatal beating.

Both sides say Rodriguez had lived with Nisa Harada and her two teenage daughters in the Aliamanu home but moved out shortly before the fatal beating. They say Rodriguez went to the home to move back in when he found Waikiki there. Rodriguez walked out when he realized that Waikiki was not an intruder, as Harada had claimed.

While Rodriguez and Harada were standing next to his truck on the street fronting the home, both sides say Waikiki struck Harada, knocking her to the ground. A neighbor who saw what happened then struck and knocked Waikiki to the ground.

Green says Rodrigues struck Waikiki twice in the face only after it appeared that Waikiki had regained consciousness and was attempting to get up.

Bell said Rodriguez remained on the scene and told one of the responding officers, “I saw the male strike the female. After that I don’t know what happened.”

Waikiki has state convictions for assault, a car break-in, car theft, harassment, drug and drug paraphernalia possession. He was released on parole on Dec. 4, just five days before his death.