After a full day of work, a pool of 13 potential jurors has been chosen for William Morva's capital murder trial in Abingdon. Eleven more are needed before a jury can be selected to begin hearing evidence in the case.

Only four had been chosen by lunchtime, but the pace quickened this afternoon with nine of 12 people questioned after lunch being chosen for the pool.

Court recessed at 5:30 p.m. and is expected to reconvene at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

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As of 3:30 p.m. today, eight of the needed 24 potential jurors have been chosen. Attorneys have questioned a total of 15 people.

Many have been dismissed from the pool because of their thoughts about the death penalty -- split fairly evenly between those against it and those too much in favor of it.

William Morva is charged with three counts of capital murder, two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of capital murder, escape with force and assault and battery of a law enforcement officer. If convicted of any of the capital murder charges, prosecutors plan to ask jurros to consider the death penalty.

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Four potential jurors were chosen this morning to hear the capital murder case of William Charles Morva, who is on trial in Washington County Circuit Court in Abingdon on charges related to the August 2006 killings of two men in Montgomery County.

As of lunchtime, prosecutors and defense attorneys had questioned nine people in groups of three.

Of those who were not chosen, one is opposed to the dealth penalty and three said they would automatically vote for the death penalty if they found Morva guilty of one of the three counts of capital murder he faces. Another potential juror was released after saying he would give added weight to the testimony of law enforcement officers.

Continue reading "Jury selection under way" »

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Proceedings in William Morva's capital murder trial were scheduled to get under way at 9 a.m. this morning in Washington County Circuit Court in Abingdon.

Morva is brought to the courthouse under tight security.

Morva, 26, is accused of fatally shooting Derrick McFarland, a security guard at Montgomery Regional Hospital, the morning of Aug. 20, 2006, as he escaped from a deputy's custody at the hospital and then fatally shooting Cpl. Eric Sutphin of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office the next morning.

Continue reading "Morva trial opens in Abingdon" »

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