Jury selection continues on the Sowell murder trial
VIDEO - Anthony Sowell, the Cleveland man accused of brutally murdering 11 woman, was dressed casually as the first group of possible jurors were brought into the courtroom...
Anthony Sowell, the Cleveland man accused of brutally murdering 11 woman, was dressed casually as the first group of possible jurors were brought into the courtroom.
Judge Dick Ambrose laid it out to those men and women. No matter what they had seen and heard about Anthony Sowell, or about the horrors that took place inside his house on Imperial Avenue, they had to have an open mind if they want to sit on his jury.
“A defendant in a criminal case is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the State beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Judge Ambrose.
In addition, if the jurors convict Sowell of the murder charges, they will also have to decide whether he should be executed. The Judge asked jurors to leave their preconceived ideas behind them.
“Just because we are discussing the possibility of the death penalty does not mean the defendant is guilty of anything,” said Judge Ambrose. “It is simply something I must instruct you on so the attorneys and the court can ask you questions to see if you qualify as jurors in this type of case.”
In an effort to not prejudice the potential jurors—made up of ten women and four men— reporters, cameras, and spectators were asked to leave the courtroom, including the relative of one of the victims, who brought a big picture of the murdered woman, into the courtroom.
Once the courtroom was cleared, jurors were asked to fill out a large questionnaire and were interviewed by prosecution and defense attorneys, for up to 15 minutes.
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