3:04 p.m.
CENTENNIAL | After four days of jury selection, 213 prospective jurors in the Aurora theater shooting case have been released from their summonses.
Judge Carlos Samour, Jr. said Friday that the number will likely grow substantially after lawyers for accused shooter James Holmes and the prosecution review some of the roughly 800 completed questionnaires over the weekend.
Jury selection wrapped for the week around 2:30 p.m. and will resume Monday morning.
So far, the two sides have agreed to release about 160 prospective jurors after reviewing their questionnaires. The others have been released because they didn’t live in Arapahoe County, have some connection to the case or don’t speak English.
Holmes appeared in court Friday wearing a dark blazer, white button-up shirt and gray slacks. He sat quietly throughout he hearings.
Also Friday, Samour amended his order barring prospective jurors from talking to the media about any subject for one prospective juror who works at the Denver Post. The juror wasn’t released and isn’t allowed to talk about the trial to anyone, but Samour said the ban on any conversation with the media wouldn’t allow her to do her job.
“Obviously the advisement about not talking to the media is not going to work for you,” he said.
Samour said he will issue a similar order to other jurors who work for media companies.
1:54 p.m.
CENTENNIAL | Six more jurors were released in the Aurora theater shooting case Friday afternoon, bringing the total to 189.
Judge Carlos Samour also amended his order barring prospective jurors from talking to the media about any subject for one prospective juror who works at the Denver Post. The juror wasn’t released and isn’t allowed to talk about the trial to anyone, but Samour said the ban on any conversation with the media wouldn’t allow her to do her job.
“Obviously the advisement about not talking to the media is not going to work for you,” he said.
10 a.m.
CENTENNIAL| The judge in the Aurora theater shooting trial released 62 jurors during Friday morning’s session.
That brings the total of jurors released to 183 since jury selection started Tuesday.
Among those released Friday were six people released before filling out their jury questionnaires because they didn’t speak English, work for the court, had medical issues or lived outside Arapahoe County. The rest were released after the two sides agreed that they shouldn’t serve on the jury.
Court is set to resume at 1 p.m.
9 a.m.
CENTENNIAL | The fourth day of jury selection in the Aurora theater shooting case is set to resume at 9 a.m. with another wave of roughly 130 potential jurors.
Judge Carlos Samour, Jr. has released 121 prospective jurors from their summonses so far, leaving about 540 who have filled out their questionnaires and could still be selected.
Each session — one in the morning and one in the evening — has seen about 130 prospective jurors report to court.
Thursday’s session marked the first time jurors were released after the prosecution and defense had a chance to review their questionnaires. The two sides agreed to release 88 jurors based on their questionnaires, but Samour said he expected them to find more from the first few days who should be released.
Accused shooter James Holmes has appeared in court each day and sat quietly next to his defense team.