CENTENNIAL | One potential juror in the Aurora theater shooting trial Thursday cried several times during questioning yesterday, saying that the thought of a child being murdered made her emotional.
The woman said she was nervous and was retained so far, joining a growing pool of possible jurors in a questioning phase that now may take much less time than court officials originally expected.
The second day of the questioning phase of jury selection in the trial of admitted shooter James Holmes ended Thursday with five jurors held over to the next selection phase. Four potential jurors were excused.
Twelve jurors have been retained in the first two days of questioning, far ahead of initial expectations.
Judge Carlos Samour Jr. said his goal was to have roughly 120 candidates for the next phase, which means at this rate, initial oral questions could be over in approximately 20 days — well ahead of initial scheduling.
While finding potential jurors seems to be moving quickly, it has taken extra time each day. Both the first and second juror sessions have lasted until 6 p.m.
In order to keep the sessions running in a timely manner, Samour proposed reducing the question time from 20 minutes to 15 minutes per side or only questioning five jurors per session instead of six.
Among the jurors who advanced was man who prosecuting attorney Rich Orman had charged in a previous case. Neither side objected and the man joined the four potential jurors from earlier who will be asked to return. Three of the dismissed potential jurors Thursday were released because they did not approve of imposing the death penalty. The other two dismissed potential jurors were released for expected financial hardships.
Holmes, 27, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the July 20, 2012, attack on an Aurora movie theater that killed 12 people and injured 70 others.
If jurors find him not guilty for that reason, he would be committed indefinitely to the state psychiatric hospital. Prosecutors dispute that Holmes was insane and are seeking the death penalty, though Colorado has only executed one person in the last 40 years.
Individual questioning will continue Friday.