ORLANDO, Fla. — Taking the stand in his own defense, Scott Nelson, the man accused in the death of a Winter Park personal assistant, admitted he killed the woman but blamed his parole officer for making him do it.

Nelson took the stand Thursday as his attorneys began their arguments in his murder trial. The prosecution rested its case Wednesday at the Orange County Courthouse.

Nelson spoke very calmly about chilling details about the moments before Fulford's murder with Fulford's family and husband looking on in the courtroom.

On the stand, Nelson said that he killed Jennifer Fulford in 2017 but said his parole officer was to blame, because he was responsible for Nelson being thrown out onto the streets. 

Nelson says he resisted a chance at one point to kill his parole officer.

"I was going to shoot him," he said. "He’s very lucky."

On Wednesday jurors heard from witnesses and several law enforcement agencies who investigated Fulford's murder. Prosecutors showed them evidence found in Fulford's car by crime scene investigators, including a bundled-up comforter, an open beer bottle, as well as Nelson's DNA and blood.

A Winter Park detective testified about an alleged letter from Nelson about where to find the keys to Fulford's car.

Jurors have also watched surveillance video of Nelson walking into a Publix where Fulford's car was found. There was also video reportedly showing him boarding a Lynx bus to the Winter Park train station where prosecutors say Nelson eventually hopped on a train to Jacksonville.

He was arrested there a few days after Fulford disappeared.

After admitting to killing Fulford, Nelson says he never really meant to take the Winter Park nanny’s life.

"I never intended to kill that woman. She had never done anything to me," Nelson said.

But Nelson admitted he ultimately took his anger out on Fulford.

"I believe the term is collateral damage," he said.

"Legal" Hail Mary

Attorney Jonathan Rose says Nelson may have felt talking the stand was his only chance to escape conviction, calling it the "legal equivalent of a Hail Mary."

"The other reason is that there could be some sort of tactical reason to do it. Like in this case, it’s possible that Mr. Nelson might have testified as he did to nullify the intent requirement for pre-meditation and the death penalty."

A medical examiner also testified.

"There were four stab wounds in the chest, one in the abdomen and two in the back," they said.

Nelson's defense did not spend much time cross examining witnesses.

The judge sent the jury home for the day but they will be back Friday morning to hear closing arguments from attorneys on both sides of this case.

If convicted, the state is expected to seek the death penalty for Nelson.