CENTENNIAL | Across two days of jury selection, more than 400 prospective jurors in the Aurora theater shooting case have reported to the Arapahoe County Justice Center.
So far, Judge Carlos Samour Jr. has released 21 from their summonses, leaving 386 who have filled out their questionnaires and as of Wednesday evening, could still wind up on the jury.
Samour released some jurors because they didn’t speak English well, others because they no longer live in Arapahoe County and others for medical reasons.
The judge said he has been happy with the turnout so far. Court officials sent out 250 summonses for each session and expected between 120 and 150 people to report to court each session.
The afternoon session Wednesday had 141 prospective jurors in it, which is about as many as the courtroom can hold.
“It’s right about full capacity right now,” Samour said.
James Holmes, who is accused of killing 12 and wounding 70 more during a July 2012 shooting rampage at an Aurora Movie theater, sat quietly throughout Wednesday’s hearing. Wearing a dark blazer and khaki pants, he chatted quietly with his lawyers before the prospective jurors entered court and leaned back silently when the jurors were seated.
During Wednesday’s morning session, a prospective juror was caught taking a picture of their jury questionnaire, Samour said.
A deputy forced the man to erase the picture, but because the man’s juror badge wasn’t visible, court staff aren’t sure who it was, Samour said.
Taking a picture of the document would be a clear violation of the court’s rules. Samour told jurors before giving them the questionnaire that the documents are private and that they can’t discuss their contents with others or bring them out of the courtroom.
The judge said he will now remind all jurors to make sure their badge is visible at all times.
Before the afternoon session started, Samour read off some of the excuses prospective jurors sent to the court asking to be dismissed. One person said jury duty would be a problem for his business. Another laid out in great detail a series of digestion ailments that he said would make jury duty difficult.
Samour said the two sides received completed questionnaires from Tuesday’s initial session around noon Wednesday and will begin discussing those in court Thursday.