The jury
By Andrew Bell
Published in News on August 12, 2010 1:46 PM
THOSE CHOSEN TO SERVE AS JURORS FOR THE TRIAL INCLUDE:
* A white woman who used to work at Cherry Hospital was chosen to serve on the jury. She has three daughters -- the youngest, a 20-year-old -- and two grandchildren.
* A white woman who works at O'Berry Center was chosen to serve on the jury. She has two children and told the court that 15 years ago, she was the victim of domestic violence, but said her experience would not prevent her from remaining impartial.
* A white man who once served in the Marine Corps, but was never stationed at Camp Lejeune.
* A black man who once served in the Marine Corps and was stationed at Camp Lejeune from 1985 to 1988. When asked about his experience as a member of the military, he simply said "great."
* A black woman who is a native of Jamaica. She told the court she moved to Wayne County a few years ago and has 7- and 10-year-old daughters.
* A white woman who is married to a retired Seymour Johnson Air Force Base pilot. She is a registered nurse.
* An elderly white man who moved to Wayne County more than 17 years ago. He told the court there was nothing he could think of that prevent him from being an impartial juror.
* A white woman who works at a restaurant in downtown Goldsboro. She told the court her husband works for the Goldsboro Police Department and that she has a son and teenage daughter.
* An elderly white woman who told the court she has lived in Wayne County all her life and has five sons. She works at a restaurant in Wilson.
* A white woman who works as an accountant. She has two daughters, one of them a teenager.
* A white man who has two daughters and one grandchild. He told the court he has been on several juries -- including one for a murder trial 20 years ago -- but did not feel that would prevent him from being fair and impartial.
* A white man who works at Franklin Bakery. He has two sons and a daughter who is about to start the eighth grade.
THOSE ADDED AS ALTERNATES INCLUDE:
* A white man who moved to Wayne County when his stepfather was stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. He told the court he served in the Army until 2001 and deployed to Bosnia and Kuwait during his years in the military.
* A black woman who once worked for the New York Police Department. She told the court that while living in Brooklyn, she was once robbed at gunpoint.
* A white woman who is a registered nurse who used to work at Wayne Memorial Hospital.
THOSE EXCUSED WEDNESDAY DURING THE JURY SELECTION PROCESS INCLUDE:
* A black man who told the court his daughter was murdered in the mid-1990s and that the killer has yet to be brought to justice.
* A black woman who told the court her son was shot nine times in an altercation several years ago.
* A black man who told the court the fact that the victim was pregnant when the alleged murder happened would make it difficult for him to remain impartial.
* Two white men, one who has three daughters.
* A white man -- and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base airmen -- who has a 16-year-old daughter.
THOSE EXCUSED TUESDAY DURING THE JURY SELECTION PROCESS INCLUDE:
* A white man who told the court he did not feel he could set aside his pre-conceived opinion about Laurean's guilt or innocence.
* A white man who told the court he did not feel he could set aside his pre-conceived opinion about the case. "I think he's guilty," he said.
* A white man who told the court "it would be difficult" for him to set aside his pre-conceived opinion about Laurean's guilt or innocence.
* A white woman who told the court she was not sure whether or not she could set aside her pre-conceived opinions about the case, as she learned of the alleged crimes shortly after having a baby. "I personally don't know if I can," she said. "I was pretty upset by what I read."
* A white woman who told the court she did not believe she could be impartial. "In all honesty, I think I have already formed an opinion," she said.
* A white man who told the court he knew too much to be impartial. "I don't think I could be totally objective with all that I know," he said.
* A black man who told the court he was scheduled to begin classes at Wayne Community College next week.
* A white man who told the court he was scheduled to begin classes at Wayne Community College next week.
* A black man who told the court "it'd be hard" to set aside his opinion regarding Laurean's guilt or innocence.
THOSE EXCUSED TUESDAY DUE TO HARDSHIPS:
* A white man who told the court he was hard of hearing, so much so that if selected, he could miss critical testimony.
* A white man who told the court that he is the sole provider for a household that includes four children. The self-described truck driver said a lengthy trial would be detrimental to his family's well-being.
* A black man who told the court she is a stroke victim and felt that the stress associated with a high-profile murder trial might create a major health problem.
* A white man who told the court that he is self-employed and simply could not afford to not work.
* A white woman who told the court that the recent death of her son still lingers and that being in the courthouse and around law enforcement -- her son, she said, had problems with the law -- was causing her emotional strain.
* A black man who told the court that his only child was set to begin college next week and that it was a high priority for him to be there to help his son move in.
* A black man who told the court that missing work would be detrimental to his well-being. The majority of his salary, he said, comes from commission and missing sales opportunities would mean he would not have enough money to pay his bills.
* A white woman who told the court that she did not feel "mentally competent" enough to sit on the jury, as she has problems retaining information.
* A white man who told the court that as a truck driver, he simply could not afford to be off the road for the duration of a trial expected to last at least a month.
* A white man who told the court that he is the sole employee at the store he owns. Without him there to work, the store, he said, would have to remain closed.