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After three weeks of jury selection, the trial of the man accused of shooting Brevard County Sheriff’s Deputy Barbara Pill should begin this week.
Judge Morgan Reinman, state prosecutors and Bradley’s defense attorneys scrutinized 212 potential jurors, narrowing that group to 38 people by the end of Monday. They’re looking for 15 jurors, including three alternates. Ultimately, 12 people will decide Bradley’s fate.
Juror 42 was cut because he had the flu. Juror 126 was cut because he knows Bradley’s grandmother through church.
Pill’s widower, Steve, watched the proceedings from the back row of the gallery Monday.
Defense Attorney Mark Lanning asked candidates about their political affiliation, whether they or their family have been victims of crime and their level of education. At one point, he asked if anyone in the room had tried ecstasy, heroin, marijuana, magic mushrooms, cocaine or codeine. A few hands went up. He asked people if they had ever seen their children intoxicated. He pointed out that Bradley was on drugs at the time of the incident. He asked if the candidates’ experiences would affect their decision on Bradley.
Proceedings today will begin with a round of questioning for a few witnesses. The defense had tried to suppress testimony, including a woman who said she saw Bradley with a gun, a man who was on the phone with co-defendant Andria Kerchner around the time of the shooting, a man who stole the gun used in the shooting and said he traded it to Bradley for crack, and Kerchner, who has said she told Bradley “you don’t need to do this.”
Amanda Ozburn, the woman who says she saw Bradley, recently gave birth and won’t be present today. The others will be asked about what they would say if they were brought before a jury.
Reinman will then rule on whether that testimony will be allowed.
The state and defense will each have the chance to dismiss up to 10 jurors they don’t like. Once a jury is chosen, the attorneys can begin their opening arguments.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20140318/CRIME/303180022/Bradley-trial-expected-start-week
