Jury selection alone could last until June, and the trial could run into October. The court will pay jurors just $50 a day during that time, and employers only have to pay their workers for the first three days of jury service. It’s unusual for a mass shooter even to see a trial. Many killers take their own lives; others end up with plea agreements. Prosecutors in the Holmes case rejected a plea offer from defense lawyers, pushing the case toward a grueling trial that will replay the massacre. The chosen 24, including 12 alternates, won’t be allowed to talk to anyone even each other about the case, which means bearing the stressful experience alone. Mental health counseling will be available, but only after jurors reach a verdict.
More: Panic attacks, bad backs: Theater shooting brings out jury excuses, shows hardships of service | Fox News
Panic attack, bad back: Colo. theater shooting brings jury excuses – Washington Times
Several have said they run their own businesses and can’t afford to miss work for that long. Others have said they are the primary caregivers for their children, have pre-paid vacations scheduled, or have business trips planned. One man told the judge he runs a delicatessen with his wife, who is 5 1/2 months pregnant. But the Holmes case is even more challenging, as evidenced by the far greater number of jurors Samour called. The 9,000 jurors summoned more than have ever been summoned for a court case in American history, according to experts represent nearly one out of every 50 residents of suburban Arapahoe County. So many notices went out that witnesses to the attack received them, as did relatives of staffers in the local district attorney’s office.
More: Panic attack, bad back: Theater shooting brings jury excuses – Yahoo News
Panic attacks, bad backs: Theater shooting brings out jury excuses, shows hardships of service | Fox News
Federal prosecutors in Boston are confronting a similar dilemma as they try to find people to serve as jurors for the murder trial of accused Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, another death penalty case. Some of those potential jurors have also cited personal hardships that would make it difficult to serve on the trial, which is expected to last three to four months. Several said they run their own businesses and cant afford to miss work, and others said they are the primary caregivers for their children, have prepaid vacations scheduled or have business trips planned. The Holmes case is more challenging, as evidenced by the far greater number of jurors called. The 9,000 jurors – more than have ever been summoned for a court case in U.S. history, according to experts. So many notices went out that witnesses to the attack received them, as did relatives of staffers in the district attorneys office. They were immediately dismissed.
Read More: Panic attack, bad back: Colo. theater shooting brings jury excuses – Washington Times
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