Judge Belvin Perry has dismissed a group of at least a couple of dozen potential jurors because there was some kind of discussion of the case among them.
One juror apparently brought up the Casey Anthony case. The judge asked the group if the discussion went beyond the mention, and a number of the potential jurors said it did, so the group was dismissed.
LARGO — Just because you have kids at home and a business that needs you, don't expect to get out of going to Orlando for the six-to-eight week murder trial of Casey Anthony.
That's the message that came out of some of the juror interviews Tuesday, as a judge and lawyers continued jury selection in Pinellas County for the highly publicized murder trial.
Although most of the potential jurors have been excused from the inconvenience of the trial, attorneys are fighting to keep some people in the pool.
One man said he runs a hardware store with 34 employees and that a lot of the management and other work falls to him. "I was unloading trucks this morning before I came here." It's a family business, his father has suffered serious health problems, and the man said has a one-week business and pleasure trip to Panama coming up.
But defense attorney Cheney Mason called that an inconvenience, not a "hardship." The man is still in the jury pool.
Another man said he started a new job two weeks ago at "a huge pay cut" to be home, closer to his daughter with health problems. But his wife also cares for the girl. He's still in the jury pool.
Another man said he's on disability and couldn't afford to board his seven dogs. When Mason objected to excusing that man, Orange-Osceola Judge Belvin Perry jokingly asked if the dogs could stay at Mason's home. But for now, the man is still a possible juror.
However, others were quickly excused, such as the St. Petersburg College student who's a single mother with a 4-year-old, and the nurse who said he is in the fifth month of a six-month training program,
Twenty Pinellas County residents — 12 jurors and eight alternates — will travel to Orlando.
Media attention in Orlando prompted Perry to order that jurors come from outside Orange County.
Casey Anthony is accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee Marie Anthony. Caylee disappeared in 2008. Her remains were discovered months later about a quarter-mile from her home.
One juror apparently brought up the Casey Anthony case. The judge asked the group if the discussion went beyond the mention, and a number of the potential jurors said it did, so the group was dismissed.
LARGO — Just because you have kids at home and a business that needs you, don't expect to get out of going to Orlando for the six-to-eight week murder trial of Casey Anthony.
That's the message that came out of some of the juror interviews Tuesday, as a judge and lawyers continued jury selection in Pinellas County for the highly publicized murder trial.
Although most of the potential jurors have been excused from the inconvenience of the trial, attorneys are fighting to keep some people in the pool.
One man said he runs a hardware store with 34 employees and that a lot of the management and other work falls to him. "I was unloading trucks this morning before I came here." It's a family business, his father has suffered serious health problems, and the man said has a one-week business and pleasure trip to Panama coming up.
But defense attorney Cheney Mason called that an inconvenience, not a "hardship." The man is still in the jury pool.
Another man said he started a new job two weeks ago at "a huge pay cut" to be home, closer to his daughter with health problems. But his wife also cares for the girl. He's still in the jury pool.
Another man said he's on disability and couldn't afford to board his seven dogs. When Mason objected to excusing that man, Orange-Osceola Judge Belvin Perry jokingly asked if the dogs could stay at Mason's home. But for now, the man is still a possible juror.
However, others were quickly excused, such as the St. Petersburg College student who's a single mother with a 4-year-old, and the nurse who said he is in the fifth month of a six-month training program,
Twenty Pinellas County residents — 12 jurors and eight alternates — will travel to Orlando.
Media attention in Orlando prompted Perry to order that jurors come from outside Orange County.
