Eight jurors dismissed
Posted Sep17, 2007 at 11:08 AM
Eight of an initial pool of 22 potential jurors for the Willam Morva trial were dismissed this morning after each said he could not be impartial. Two of those jurors also said they had medical issues that would keep them from serving during the scheduled three-week trial.
Morva, clad in a blue shirt and yellow spotted tie, pleaded "not guilty" to the seven charges against him. Upon entering the plea, a member of the crowd gasped. But Morva kept his arms crossed over his body as the opening proceedings continued.
Judge Ray Grubbs dismissed 31 witnesses from sitting through jury selection. Instead, they will be called when they are needed.
Grubbs has initiated the first 10-minute recess while attorneys decide which questions are acceptable to ask potential jurors. Defense attorney Tony Anderson asked three of the jurors if they could be unbiased if their own families or themselves were in the same case.
The prosecuting attorney, Brad Finch, objected to that language and Grubbs also objected to Anderson's use of the words, "cold-blooded."
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