Selection could be finished today
JOSHUA WOLFSON Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Friday, September 12, 2008 12:00 am
Attorneys in the Donald Rolle capital murder trial continued to interview prospective jurors behind closed doors Thursday.
Individual interviews with prospective jurors, which are being done in a closed Natrona County District courtroom, were scheduled to run throughout the day, according to a schedule described in open court Wednesday by Judge Thomas Sullins.
Each day from Monday to Wednesday, a new panel of jurors took part in group sessions held in open court. However, certain topics - notably the death penalty and pretrial publicity - were left to the private interviews to prevent jurors from influencing one another.
Thursday was the first day since the process began that the court did not call in a new panel of prospective jurors.
Once the court has a pool of 45 prospective jurors who have not been excused or challenged for cause, they will be summoned back to open court for the final selection process, according to court documents. At that point, attorneys will be able to exercise peremptory challenges on some of the remaining jurors.
Ultimately, 12 jurors and three alternates will be selected for the trial, which is expected to last another two or three weeks. Sullins said Wednesday in court that he hopes to have the jury chosen by today.
Rolle is charged with murdering Jennifer Randel, a 40-year-old Casper woman whose body was found Nov. 4 in a rural area west of Casper. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Rolle, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The jury will be allowed to go home for the first phase of the trial, but would be sequestered in a local motel if a sentencing phase is necessary.
Reach crime reporter Joshua Wolfson at (307) 266-0582 or at josh.wolfson@trib.com.
On the Web
Visit www.trib.com/randel for daily updates on the murder trial and more information on the Jennifer Randel case.
Trial Tracker
Last we knew: Lawyers in the Donald Rolle murder trial interviewed a third panel of prospective jurors Wednesday.
The latest: Prospective jurors were interviewed individually behind closed doors Thursday.
What's next: Judge Thomas Sullins hopes to have the process wrapped up today.
Visit www.trib.com/randel for daily updates on the murder trial and more information on the Jennifer Randel case.]]->
Last we knew: Lawyers in the Donald Rolle murder trial interviewed a third panel of prospective jurors Wednesday.
The latest: Prospective jurors were interviewed individually behind closed doors Thursday.
What's next: Judge Thomas Sullins hopes to have the process wrapped up today.]]->