Jury selection for Aaron Dean murder trial extended into a 5th day
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Jury selection will extend into a fifth day in the high-profile murder trial of Aaron Dean, who when he was a police officer shot and killed a woman in her home in 2019.
The unusually large jury pool of 200 people to start the week, was narrowed down to a few dozen by Thursday night, after a full day of attorneys questioning potential jurors about their opinions on law enforcement, and their willingness to potentially send a former officer to prison for five to 99 years.
A final jury of 12 people and two alternates is expected to be seated Friday, ahead of opening statements scheduled for Monday.
While the shooting of Atatiana Jefferson and the wait for Dean's trial has brought tension to Fort Worth, the mood in the central jury room of the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center was almost lighthearted at times Thursday.
The group of potential jurors, not visible to reporters who viewed the proceeding through a monitor in an adjacent room, often broke into laughter as attorneys probed them, trying to determine who would be most advantageous to their respective sides.
Prosecutors asked if they could find an officer guilty of murder, and their feelings on firearms and Black Lives Matter. Dean's defense team focused more on jurors understanding reasonable doubt, and the burden of proof resting on the prosecution for a guilty verdict.
Although they had yet to hear the evidence in the case, several people expressed they were firm in their support for law enforcement.
"I'm having a hard time being here," one potential juror said. "Because I'm sick and tired of the way police officers are treated."
Dean's attorneys have argued for about a year that the trial should be moved out of Tarrant County, because he wouldn't be able to find a fair jury due to extensive media coverage and statements against Dean by influential people in the community. Judge George Gallagher still hasn't ruled on the motion, instead waiting to see the results of the jury selection process.