Tears filled Christie Michelle Scott's eyes Wednesday when her defense attorney asked if she was responsible for starting the Aug. 16 fire that killed her 6-year-old son, Mason.

Scott, 30, who is charged with capital murder, spent more than two hours on the witness stand Wednesday. She will return to the witness stand today to be cross-examined by the prosecution.

Scott replied, "no", when her attorney, Robert Tuten, of Huntsville, asked if she set the fire. She responded likewise when Tuten asked, "Did you kill Mason?"

Prosecutors contend Scott burned her Signore Drive home to collect insurance money from her son's death, including a $100,000 policy she purchased the day before the fire.

Local, state and federal fire investigators who testified for the prosecution told jurors they determined the fire started on or around a bed used by Scott's younger son, Noah, who shared a bedroom with Mason.

Two investigators hired by the defense have testified the fire was accidental.

Tuten asked Scott about the $100,000 life insurance policy she purchased about 12 hours before her son died in the fire. Scott testified she purchased $100,000 policies on both of her sons that day to lock in low premiums. "When they were 40-year-old men, they would still pay premiums for a 6-year-old and a 4-year-old."

Scott testified she and her husband, Jeremy, had discussed for several weeks purchasing additional insurance on their sons.

Scott said the $100,000 policy from Woodmen of the World she bought for Mason, combined with two life insurance policies in place with Alfa, boosted his total coverage to $175,000.

A Woodmen of the World executive called as a prosecution witness testified no claims have been filed in connection with Mason Scott's death. An Alfa official testified the company paid a $25,000 claim after the child's death.

Tears streamed down Scott's face often during her testimony Wednesday.

At times, she spoke in a low, barely audible voice as she described the fire and the events leading up to it and afterward.

Her voice cracked with emotion as she described waking up to discover her house was on fire.

"It was like somebody was blowing cigarette smoke in my face," she said. "I immediately knew the house was on fire."

Scott said a cloud of dense black smoke was covering the ceiling of her bedroom. She told Noah, who was sleeping in her room that night, to stay in bed and remain still.

Jurors appeared to be taking notes as Scott testified she rolled out of bed and crawled across the floor in an attempt to rescue Mason, who was sleeping in his room down the hall.

"I tried to look down the hallway, but I couldn't see anything but thick, black smoke," she said.

Tears flowed from Scott's eyes as she recalled calling to her son. "I yelled for Mason; I yelled his name, but I didn't hear anything."

She said the heat in the hall was intense. "It was like sticking your head in an oven. I yelled at him again, but I didn't hear anything."

Scott said the only noise she heard was the popping and crackling of the fire.

Scott told jurors she opened her bedroom window and dropped Noah to the ground. She then attempted to climb out the window but fell, scratching her arm and leg.

Once on the ground, she picked up Noah and ran to a neighbor's home, Scott testified.

Scott told jurors she asked the neighbor, Jennifer Davidson, to call 911 and a moment later alerted Davidson that Mason was still inside.

She said Davidson's fiance, Brian Copeland - who had been sleeping on the couch - jumped up when she screamed Mason was inside the burning home. Scott told jurors that she and Copeland then ran back to her home to try to save Mason.

She told investigators she had left the home without her keys and that all the doors were locked.

Scott testified Wednesday she attempted to enter the home by using the keypad for the garage doors, which contradicts what Copeland said while testifying for the prosecution. "My hands were trembling so badly, I was hitting the wrong buttons. I tried myself about six times. I saw Brian put (the code) in twice I know."

Copeland testified that Scott beat on the garage door, but he never saw her attempt to use the key pad. Copeland said he did not attempt the use the key pad.

Scott testified that after the failed attempt to enter the home, she stood in the yard screaming, "that's my baby in there."

She said when firefighters arrived moments later, they began searching for the child. Scott cried as she told jurors, "they kept telling me over and over, they couldn't find him. They didn't know where he was."

She also recalled for jurors seeing her father, Donald Bray, who came to her aid during the fire. When her father asked "Where are my babies?" Scott said she told him Mason was unable to escape the fire. "I said I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but I couldn't get him."

Scott then buried her face in her hands and began to sob.

Scott, who is being held in the Franklin County Jail without bail, could be sentenced to death if convicted of capital murder.

Dennis Sherer can be reached at 740-5746 or dennis.sherer@TimesDaily.com.