LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The first questionings of jurors took place Tuesday as selection resumed in ex-Louisville Metro Police officer Brett Hankison’s trial.
According to the Associated Press, after four days of questioning this week, prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed on a pool of 48 prospective jurors. Those 48 will be brought back on Feb. 22 and 12 jurors and three alternates will be selected for the trial.
Hankison is charged with three counts of Wanton Endangerment for allegedly firing shots into neighboring homes the night Breonna Taylor was killed.
Jurors began the process of individual voir dire and were interviewed one-by-one by attorneys from the prosecution and defense, answering follow-up questions from a previous questionnaire filled out on Jan. 28.
Potential jurors took what's typically the witness stand and answered questions from attorneys about their knowledge of this case. Interviews typically lasted around 15 minutes each.
A lot of the questions surrounded each potential juror's knowledge of the case, as well as their opinion of Brett Hankison, and their opinion of police in general, as well as specifically, LMPD.
Every hour, three or four protentional jurors are interviewed individually and attorneys discuss their responses. The group is called back in and each is told whether they're released, or need to return Feb. 22 for the general jury selection process.
Attorneys have asked potential jurors if they're able to separate the death of Breonna Taylor from the charges Brett Hankison is facing.
Ariana Levinson, a law professor at the University of Louisville, said it's wise for the judge to be cautious and to try and make sure this can proceed in this venue with impartial jurors.
"If they've already heard stuff and they say 'I saw these things on TV, there's no way I'm going to change my mind,' if that's their answer they're going to be asked not to sit because they're saying 'I'm at a place where I'm not open to more evidence,'" said Levinson.
Levinson said "individual vior dire" is a particular jury selection process required in Kentucky for death penalty cases, but can be used in cases that involve race or high profile.
"The goal of vior dire is always to make sure that jurors can be impartial and that they don't have any type of bias that will influence their decision making and cause them not to follow the law," said Levinson.
Judge Ann Bailey Smith denied a motion by the defense to ban the press completely from the jury selection process, but cameras aren't allowed in the courtroom.
Hankison's jury selection was postponed for a minor surgery two weeks ago, then again for the weather. Of the 19 potential jurors that were interviewed today, 11 will continue in the process. Attorneys are trying to get up to 50 potential jurors.
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