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Boot-camp trial jury selection
plows through Day Two
September 25, 2007
By Stephen D. Price
PANAMA CITY -- Jury selection
continued this morning in the boot-camp trial, with Bay County Judge
Michael Overstreet telling approved potential jurors to return for
final selection Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Overstreet plans to narrow the more
than 1,400 potential jurors called down to 125, and then find a jury
of six and up to three alternates.
Martin Lee Anderson died Jan. 6,
2006, a day after he was punched and kneed by drill instructors at
the Bay County boot camp. Seven drill instructors and a camp nurse
have been charged with felony aggravated manslaughter of a child and
face up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
The trial is set to begin Oct. 3.
Two controversial potential jurors
were approved this morning, one black woman who works for the local
State Attorney who said the defendants are innocent but she could
put that opinion aside for the trial, and one white man who said
those charged have been "railroaded."
"I think they're being railroaded
by the governor and others," the man said.
Assistant State Attorney Scott
Harmon said, "That's a pretty strong opinion. Think you can be
convinced otherwise?"
"Yes, I can," the man answered.
"I'm man enough to assess the facts."
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