6:05 PM: The Citizens' Voice chimes in: A fifth juror was selected Wednesday afternoon in the capital homicide case of Harlow Cuadra, who is accused of killing Bryan Kocis and setting fire to his Back Mountain home in January 2007.
Three men and two women have been selected for the jury panel so far. Jury selection concluded for the day and will resume Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Jury selection began Tuesday. A total of 12 jurors and four alternates must be selected for the trial.
Prosecution and defense attorneys can move to dismiss 30 potential jurors each for any reason. Prosecutors have dismissed eight and defense attorneys dismissed seven potential jurors. The additional 15 potential jurors not selected for the panel were removed for potential conflicts or medical reasons.
4:58 PM: Once again the Times Leader reports that five jurors have been chosen in the Luzerne County capital murder trial of Harlow Cuadra.
A male retired employee at the Tobyhanna Army Depot, a male retired postal worker, a female hostess at a restaurant, and a male employed at Inter Metro were accepted by assistant district attorneys and Cuadra's lawyers today.
The total number of jurors selected through 31 people individually questioned is five. A female homemaker was chosen on Tuesday.
4:42 PM: The Times Leader is reporting that four jurors have been chosen in the Luzerne County capital murder trial of Harlow Cuadra.
A male retired employee at the Tobyhanna Army Depot, a male retired postal worker and a female hostess at a restaurant were accepted by assistant district attorneys and Cuadra's lawyers today.
The total number of jurors selected through 31 people individually questioned is four.
1:40 PM: The Citizens' Voice reports that Two more jurors were selected this morning in the capital homicide case of Harlow Cuadra, who is accused of killing Bryan Kocis and setting fire to his Back Mountain home in January 2007.
Jury selection began Tuesday. A total of 24 potential jurors were individually interviewed, with a total of three selected so far.
Prosecution and defense attorneys can move to dismiss 30 potential jurors each for any reason. Prosecutors dismissed seven jurors and defense attorneys dismissed four jurors so far. The additional 10 potential jurors not selected for the panel were removed by county Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. for potential conflicts.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Cuadra, 27, who is accused of slashing Kocis' neck and stabbing his torso nearly 30 times.
Cuadra, along with his former lover and business partner Joseph Kerekes, 35, are accused of killing Kocis, 44, a rival gay pornography producer, to lure an actor to their fledgling pornography business. Kerekes pleaded guilty in December to second-degree homicide in the case and is serving a life sentence.
11:40 AM: Sources tell me that out of the 19 interviewed they have 2. One guy and one girl with 25 more people coming in after 1:00 PM.
11:35 AM: The Times Leader is reporting that a second juror has been chosen in the Luzerne County capital murder trial of Harlow Cuadra.
A male, a retired employee at the Tobyhanna Army Depot, was accepted by assistant district attorneys and Cuadra's lawyers earlier today.
Attorneys are hoping to empanel a jury of 12 plus four alternates by Friday afternoon. Testimony is set to begin Monday before Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr.
Prosecutors alleged Cuadra, 27, and his partner, Joseph Kerekes, 35, both from Virginia Beach, Va., killed rival gay pornographic movie producer Bryan Kocis, 44, at Kocis' Dallas Township home on Jan. 24, 2007.
Kerekes pleaded guilty in December to second degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Cuadra.
Attorneys are individually questioning each potential juror. Ten people were questioned Tuesday with a female - a homemaker -accepted to the jury.
During Wednesday's selection process, a man was excused because he said, "I don't believe in taking life at all," and another male was excused for cause after he claimed, "I'm against (Cuadra's) lifestyle, gay pornography; I can't deal with that."
A man questioned this morning was excused because he said he already found Cuadra guilty from published and broadcast reports.
Cuadra, dressed in a tan jacket and tie, is taking notes during the selection process, and often conversing with his lawyers - Joseph D'Andrea and Paul Walker. His mother and sister are in the courtroom, in addition to Kocis' parents and sister.
Three men and two women have been selected for the jury panel so far. Jury selection concluded for the day and will resume Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Jury selection began Tuesday. A total of 12 jurors and four alternates must be selected for the trial.
Prosecution and defense attorneys can move to dismiss 30 potential jurors each for any reason. Prosecutors have dismissed eight and defense attorneys dismissed seven potential jurors. The additional 15 potential jurors not selected for the panel were removed for potential conflicts or medical reasons.
4:58 PM: Once again the Times Leader reports that five jurors have been chosen in the Luzerne County capital murder trial of Harlow Cuadra.
A male retired employee at the Tobyhanna Army Depot, a male retired postal worker, a female hostess at a restaurant, and a male employed at Inter Metro were accepted by assistant district attorneys and Cuadra's lawyers today.
The total number of jurors selected through 31 people individually questioned is five. A female homemaker was chosen on Tuesday.
4:42 PM: The Times Leader is reporting that four jurors have been chosen in the Luzerne County capital murder trial of Harlow Cuadra.
A male retired employee at the Tobyhanna Army Depot, a male retired postal worker and a female hostess at a restaurant were accepted by assistant district attorneys and Cuadra's lawyers today.
The total number of jurors selected through 31 people individually questioned is four.
1:40 PM: The Citizens' Voice reports that Two more jurors were selected this morning in the capital homicide case of Harlow Cuadra, who is accused of killing Bryan Kocis and setting fire to his Back Mountain home in January 2007.
Jury selection began Tuesday. A total of 24 potential jurors were individually interviewed, with a total of three selected so far.
Prosecution and defense attorneys can move to dismiss 30 potential jurors each for any reason. Prosecutors dismissed seven jurors and defense attorneys dismissed four jurors so far. The additional 10 potential jurors not selected for the panel were removed by county Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. for potential conflicts.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Cuadra, 27, who is accused of slashing Kocis' neck and stabbing his torso nearly 30 times.
Cuadra, along with his former lover and business partner Joseph Kerekes, 35, are accused of killing Kocis, 44, a rival gay pornography producer, to lure an actor to their fledgling pornography business. Kerekes pleaded guilty in December to second-degree homicide in the case and is serving a life sentence.
11:40 AM: Sources tell me that out of the 19 interviewed they have 2. One guy and one girl with 25 more people coming in after 1:00 PM.
11:35 AM: The Times Leader is reporting that a second juror has been chosen in the Luzerne County capital murder trial of Harlow Cuadra.
A male, a retired employee at the Tobyhanna Army Depot, was accepted by assistant district attorneys and Cuadra's lawyers earlier today.
Attorneys are hoping to empanel a jury of 12 plus four alternates by Friday afternoon. Testimony is set to begin Monday before Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr.
Prosecutors alleged Cuadra, 27, and his partner, Joseph Kerekes, 35, both from Virginia Beach, Va., killed rival gay pornographic movie producer Bryan Kocis, 44, at Kocis' Dallas Township home on Jan. 24, 2007.
Kerekes pleaded guilty in December to second degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Cuadra.
Attorneys are individually questioning each potential juror. Ten people were questioned Tuesday with a female - a homemaker -accepted to the jury.
During Wednesday's selection process, a man was excused because he said, "I don't believe in taking life at all," and another male was excused for cause after he claimed, "I'm against (Cuadra's) lifestyle, gay pornography; I can't deal with that."
A man questioned this morning was excused because he said he already found Cuadra guilty from published and broadcast reports.
Cuadra, dressed in a tan jacket and tie, is taking notes during the selection process, and often conversing with his lawyers - Joseph D'Andrea and Paul Walker. His mother and sister are in the courtroom, in addition to Kocis' parents and sister.
