Attorneys began selecting jurors yesterday for the murder trial of former University student and lacrosse player George Huguely.
Huguely faces first-degree murder charges for the death of University student and lacrosse player Yeardley Love. He watched intently as prosecution and defense conducted voir dire, a process which allows counselors to question the pool of 160 prospective jurors about their backgrounds to screen for any potential bias.
The trial has drawn considerable media attention to Charlottesville, and the city has responded in kind. Satellite trucks lined the streets surrounding the courthouse, and officials established a closed-circuit remote viewing location in the nearby Levy Opera House.
In light of the national attention, which Charlottesville began experiencing before this case even made it to court, attorneys were careful to consider each potential juror's prior exposure to information surrounding the case.
Lawyers for both sides also took a particular interest in potential jurors with background exposure to domestic violence. While many prospective jurors reported exposure to domestic violence, they generally said those experiences would not make them incapable of reaching a fair and accurate judgment.
"It was a long time ago," one prospective juror said when questioned by defense attorney Rhonda Quagliana about her domestic violence background. "It doesn't affect me today."
Another prospective juror said she worked at the Women's Center but that she would still be able to fairly evaluate the facts despite her work with domestic abuse victims and her affiliation with the University.
More potential jurors also admitted a connection to the University, as their spouses and relatives currently study or work on Grounds.
Prosecutors asked jurors about their previous experience with law enforcement, as well as their opinions about the role of drinking in youth culture. One prospective juror expressed her concerns about the prevalence of drinking in society, particularly on college campuses.
"It goes on a little bit too much," she said in response to a question from Commonwealth Attorney Dave Chapman.
The jury pool contained several other members of the University community. A Spanish graduate student and the wife of a University Law Professor were among the other potential jurors.
Questioning is expected to continue well into today, as Judge Edward Hogshire and attorneys seek to find 12 suitable jurors and 3 alternates to sit on the trial.
The trial is a long way from being finished, as City officials expect the media frenzy to last for two more weeks.
"As of now we feel like we have coped well," City spokesperson Ric Barrick said. "We have three more satellite trucks we need to find places for and the credentialing process has gone well. This is our first experience with this amount of interest"
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