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Court recesses because defense loses hotel rooms

Posted Sep18, 2007 at 05:10 PM

Judge Ray Grubbs dismissed the third jury panel at 5 p.m. today even though he had originally said he wanted to continue both sides' detailed questioning of the smaller sets of potential jurors.

The decision came after defense attorney Tom Blaylock said the defense had a long drive ahead of them back to Roanoke. The reason for the journey: They weren't able to keep the hotel room they'd booked.

Continue reading "Court recesses because defense loses hotel rooms" »

Spaceheaters needed at chilly court house

Posted Sep18, 2007 at 01:57 PM

Family members of shooting victim Derrick McFarland brought in sweaters and coats, the sheriff's deputy standing guard outside the courtroom is running a space heater and reporters have brought in blankets to help handle the cold temperatures in the courtroom.

And jury selection continues. Two more jurors have been seated, bringing the total of jurors to 15. Nine more people need to be seated to get the case under way.

Meanwhile, the frigid courtroom temperature is not likely to change. The air conditioning in the courthouse is on and will remain running until administrators here decide to turn it off. The older system only allows heat or AC to run, without ability to moderate between the two. The switch to heat usually occurs later in the year.

Courtroom video feed shut down

Posted Sep18, 2007 at 01:41 PM

The video feed for the local media pool is shut down for the day while attorneys question the latest panel of three potential jurors.

This is the first panel after the lunch break. No one from the previous panel was selected.

Earlier in the day, Judge Ray Grubbs asked WSLS Channel 10 reporter Rosa Duarte to halt the video she was taking. Duarte told reporters the court was worried about the potential to identify jurors.

No officials in the courtroom would comment on the decision.

Duarte was trying to get background shots of the courtroom while jurors were not in the room. No photographs, video or audio of the jurors or their conversations is permitted to be public.

A photographer from the Roanoke Times still is in the courtroom, but is not taking photos while jurors are in the room.

On Monday, a videographer was permitted to shoot, but he also did not take footage of the jurors.

Defense gets help with case

Posted Sep18, 2007 at 11:12 AM

Four Virginia Capital Case Clearinghouse representatives are attending jury selection today.

The clearinghouse, a nonprofit comprised of 10 third-year law students from Washington and Lee University, provides a free legal aid service to defense attorneys who represent clients in capital cases -- or cases that could result in a death sentence.

Morva attorneys Tony Anderson and Tom Blaylock huddled in the fourth floor hallway this morning with the clearinghouse members.

Defense jokes with jurors, more seated

Posted Sep18, 2007 at 10:57 AM

In a little over 2 1/2 hours, four more jurors have been seated, bringing the jury to 13, as the pursuit of a needed pool of 24 continues. One member from each of the two panels of three was dismissed this morning.

In explaining the concept of impartiality to the second panel of three, which included a Virginia Tech professor and a Blacksburg town employee, defense attorney Tony Anderson used a humorous analogy that has become a staple of his questions to potential jurors.

Continue reading "Defense jokes with jurors, more seated" »
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