FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- The trial of a man accused of being a “bad” Santa began Tuesday morning in Fulton County.

Elkin Donnie Clark, 49, was scheduled for an 11 a.m. hearing on charges of assault and murder for allegedly hitting 74-year-old Annie Ruth Nelson with a wooden board in December 2004 outside of David’s Gourmet in Marietta.

Nelson initially survived the attack, but she died after a few weeks in the hospital.

Clark, who was dressed in a Santa Claus suit at the time, said he was trying to stop Nelson from stealing 29 boxes of chocolates from outside the store.

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said Clark hit Nelson in the head with the board and threatened Aisha Albritton, 21, when she tried to intervene.

Aisha Albritton, a Georgia State University student, described the beating from start to finish. She said she thought at first Clark was beating a mannequin, but quickly realized it was a real person.

Albritton said that after Nelson slumped to the ground from the first strike, Clark hit her again and again.

Lora Bock, Albritton’s roommate at GSU, said she also witnessed the attack as she was walking down the street.

Clark could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.