Jury selection in the Aurora theater shooting trial is nearly complete, with fewer than 100 potential jurors remaining in a pool that started with nearly 10,000.
When Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr. asked the jury pool on Monday if there were any new hardships that would keep them from serving, about a dozen people raised their hands. Some had second thoughts about their ability to be fair and a few others didn’t even show up. Nineteen jurors were eventually dismissed.
In this phase of jury selection, both legal teams question potential jurors in a group and make their final selections. By the end of the day, there should be 12 jurors and eight to 12 alternates ready to hear opening statements, which are scheduled to start April 27. The trial is expected to last up to five months.
Those selected must determine whether defendant James Holmes was legally insane during the July 2012 attack that left 12 dead and 70 injured. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
