GUILTY FL - Phoebe Jonchuck, 5, dropped from 60' bridge, St Petersburg, 8 Jan 2015

[SeesSeas]

Today is cool rainy weather, and it's another interesting day of jury selection:
One prospective juror, Helinger said, “doesn’t know what planet he’s on.”
The Trial of John Jonchuck Day 2: Jury selection continues

LANE (10:10 a.m.):
More reasons from potential jurors as to why they should be dismissed...
Woman in teal dress: We have a pre-paid family trip, in a plane, with her husband’s family.
Woman in white shirt: Has to pick up her daughter at daycare and doesn’t have anyone to help.
Man in black dress shirt: I have a pre-paid vacation to Key West and Los Angeles, on a plane.
Man in yellow shirt: I have a trip to Europe planned, and my wife doesn’t work.
The whole third row raises their hands about not being able to commit to be at a trial for a month…
Man in blue rain jacket: I have to get allergy shots every two weeks. I got one yesterday.
Older man in checkered shirt: I have short-term memory loss from chemo. Don’t know if I’d be a benefit to anyone. I have to write notes to myself to turn off the stove. (Dismissed)
Man with mustache: I have a cruise in April.
Man in glasses: I’m a licensed boat captain. I have classes scheduled to renew my license in April in Fort Lauderdale.

LANE (9:56 a.m.):
Judge tells prospective jurors it is their civic duty to serve, and that it’s going to be a huge inconvenience to them. “This trial could last a month. The general hours are going to be 9 in the morning until 7 at night, but I am flexible,” she said. “I will make every effort to accommodate things that might come along in your life for the next month.”

Show of hands: Is it just not possible to serve? Not a tale of woe -- we have to get a jury to try this case.
About 75 percent of people raise their hands.
First up: College student can’t miss that much class.
Man in black shirt: It’s an inconvenience, not a financial hardship. Has to help wife.
Man in gray hoodie: Has to be at work early every day.
Man in black sweatshirt: It’s going to be hard for me to understand English.
Three other people raise their hands that English isn’t their first language. The judge dismisses them.

JOSH AND LANE (9:48 a.m.):
Anyone can come through the courtroom during jury selection. Example no. 1 today: One prospective juror, Helinger said, “doesn’t know what planet he’s on.” She asked the lawyers if they wouldn’t mind excusing him. Everybody agreed.

That juror is facing his own criminal charge, the judge said, and is set for a competency hearing later this month.

LANE (9:45 a.m.):
Here come the prospective jurors. This pool seems to be, on average, younger than yesterday’s group.

 

[YESorNO]

Scott Keeler‏Verified account @SKeelerTimes 1h1 hour ago
Second day of jury selection in the John Jonchuck murder trial, Pinellas County Justice Center. @TB_Times

 

[SeesSeas]

Jury selection process is fascinating. Here are some highlights today:
The Trial of John Jonchuck Day 2: Jury selection continues
March 19, 2019
ZACK AND LANE (5:58 p.m.)
About to wrap up for the day, but they did not get through individual questioning of all the people who were originally called in yesterday afternoon. Some will have to come back again tomorrow at 9 a.m. before they even know if they made the shortlist.

Trying to figure out who comes back. the judge flips through paperwork and says, “So I’m confused.”

It’s taking an average of eight minutes to interview each prospective juror.

She sends the pool home for the night. “It’s hard to pick a jury.”

LANE (5:29 p.m.)
A man just came through questioning who was in the military for 20-plus years and then the Peace Corps for seven.

He said he had managed healthcare facilities where he had encountered people with mental health conditions, some of whom he’d consider insane.

“As a nurse, one of our primary strengths we bring to the situation is empathy, I consider myself a patient advocate, one of our strongest skills is to understand how a patient may be acting in a given situation," he said.

Judge: Would you be able to set that empathy aside and abide by the law?

Man: “Yes, I understand there has to be a burden of proof. I mean, there’s also a part of me, I’ve sat in on a court martial, I’ve done two JAG investigations, so I could find a person guilty despite how well I could put myself into that person’s situation.”

The judge asked the man to step outside for a minute. The state wanted to strike that man out, saying he’s predisposed to side with the defense because of his background.

“He’s already leaning toward the defendant because of the empathy he has,” said prosecutor Doug Ellis.

The defense disagreed. “He said he could follow the law. … When jurors are given the instruction on sympathy, he’s expressing part of his personality is he had an empathetic personality, that’s not a disqualification for a jury.”

The judge decided to excuse the man. “I have a reasonable doubt as to whether he could be fair and impartial,” she said.

LANE (5:20 p.m.)
One man said he could “reasonably come to the conclusion on insanity … I would be able to, but there’s that unique nagging in the back of my mind …” Having a police officer testify might help, he said.

Judge: Would you want a police officer to testify as to the mental state of the defendant? What would you want to hear from law enforcement on that issue?

Man: If they could give an account of how the defendant was at that time, as well as afterwards, it would help clarify if there’s any sort of disconnect.

State: Experts and non-experts will help you make your decision. If you didn’t hear from law enforcement, would you be able to make that decision?

Man: I’d need to hear what qualifies them to be experts.

Judge: I’m going to excuse you. You’re free to leave.

ZACK (4:08 p.m.)
A potential juror just had a long round of questioning that illustrated one of the hurdles in finding qualified people to serve in this case.

The defense is asking whether people would consider an insanity claim differently knowing the victim was a child. That’s prompting a lot of long pauses and contemplation. It’s an intellectual exercise with major consequences.

This man who said he could consider insanity, “open-minded on everything,” later said a child victim would make him contemplate the issue differently.

“I would have to say yes. Because number one, the child is defenseless, and really doesn’t have any way of fighting back to whatever the situation may be, whether it be abuse whether it be a dog bite or something like that,” he said.

A defense attorney pressed him on whether he would be less willing to consider insanity. “No. Depending on the circumstance of the situation ... I would be still open-minded to it, but I would be, since it was a child, I would have to weigh my thoughts on the evidence.”

Later, he added, “Depending on what the evidence is, there’s gotta be some reason why this happened. I’m open-minded to hear both sides of the story.”

The defense lawyer asked if he would demand a higher standard of evidence than clear and convincing, which is what the jury instruction says is needed for a not guilty by reason of insanity finding. “Somewhat, yes,” the man said.

The judge later pushed further for more clarity, asking if he would weigh evidence more carefully with a child. “Yes. ... A little bit finer, with a fine-toothed comb.”

He was excused.

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, March 20th:
*Jury Selection continues (Day 3) (@ 9am ET) – FL – Phoebe Jonchuck (5) (Jan. 18, 2015, St. Petersburg-thrown off 62’ bridge into Tampa Bay by her father) – *John Nicolas Jonchuck, Jr. (25/now 28) arrested & charged (1/18/15) with 1st degree murder, aggravated assault with a vehicle on LE officers & aggravated fleeing & eluding police. Plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Held without bond.
Jury trial set for 3/18/19 with Jury Selection. (Trial could take 4 weeks. General hours are going to be 9 in the morning until 7 at night).
3/18/19 Jury Selection Day 1: 13 people made a shortlist out of more than 100 to appear in court. Some of those 100 will return for more questioning this afternoon. Others were dismissed because they could not make time for a four-week trial, knew too much about the notorious case already or expressed reservations about their abilities to fairly consider an insanity defense.. Picking a jury could take all week. Jury selection continues on 3/19.
3/19/19 Jury Selection Day 2: They did not get through individual questioning of all the people who were originally called in yesterday afternoon. Some will have to come back again tomorrow at 9 a.m. 35 people have made the shortlist. The judge is hoping to get 70. Jury selection continues on 3/20.

 

[SeesSeas]

Carlton: Two Tampa parents were found insane when they killed their kids. So what was in John Jonchuck's heart?
OPINION
Before John Jonchuck, a mother who strangled her two children and a college student whose newborn drowned in a dorm toilet successfully argued insanity. Is the act itself proof?
March 20, 2019
What John Jonchuck did that night was insane. But was he?

He drove his 5-year-old daughter Phoebe — a little girl with butterscotch hair who loved her daddy — to a bridge leading to the Sunshine Skyway. Then he dropped her to her death in the dark waters of Tampa Bay.

When a parent kills a child — not through neglect or in anger, not shaking a baby who won't stop crying — is he by definition out of his mind? Insane?

Or is he just a damaged man — mean, cruel, even evil? And deserving of justice for Phoebe?
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

It's looking like another long slow day of jury selection. And, judge is snarky. IMO
The trial of John Jonchuck, Day 3: Behind schedule
March 20, 2019
JOSH (9:40 a.m.)
We’ve been at it less than an hour and already Helinger is getting impatient with Assistant Public Defender Jane McNeill, who has been asking the most questions during the individual voir dire.

Helinger told McNeill to use her judgment.

“Some people obviously get it” and don’t need McNeill to reiterate her questions several times, Helinger said. “This woman was rolling her eyes, she obviously got it.”

“I would ask you to use that great brain of yours,” Helinger went on.

McNeill said back, “I didn’t have that impression of her, and my last question was a different question.”

LANE (9:30 a.m.)
The first man questioned said, “There must be something wrong … for something like that to happen, there must be some insanity there. I just find it so insane that someone could do that.”

“Sanity and something wrong are two different things,” said the judge. She excused him.

The next prospective juror, a woman, also was dismissed after saying, “ I don’t see how there could be an excuse for it if it’s a family member.”

Then a woman who had spent 30 years working with disabled children was called. She said she could consider an insanity defense, “but it’s maybe a get out of jail free card?

“Is that going to be something you think about during this trial?” asked the defense attorney.

“I’m not sure,” the woman said. “I probably have more sympathy for crimes involving kids.”

“The law on insanity, it makes no difference who the victim is,” said the judge. “Could you fulfill that cold role where you don’t even consider who the victim is?’

The woman hesitated, then answered, “I could try.”

She also was dismissed.
....................
The goal remains 70.

Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Chris Helinger hopes to put at least that many prospective jurors on the shortlist before winnowing that down to 12 jurors and several alternates.

But after two days, there are only 35. The slow pace means jury selection will bleed into Friday, and likely into next week, delaying a trial that is already expected to take up to a month.

 

[SeesSeas]

Hmmmm...... Judge didn't tell the first four jury panels that this case is not a death penalty case.
The trial of John Jonchuck, Day 3: Behind schedule
JOSH (11:40 a.m.)
The judge reads the indictment against Jonchuck to the fifth jury panel this week. For the first time, she tells the prospective jurors that this case is not a death penalty case.

“The state is not seeking the death penalty” so that is not something they have to worry about, she said.

Prosecutors did initially intend to seek the death penalty. But they dropped their bid last summer to have Jonchuck executed.

Qualifying a jury for the death penalty is another step in the process, and by the way things have gone, likely would have made picking a jury for this case impossible in Pinellas County. Already, most prospective jurors are being dismissed due to hardship or their prejudices about Jonchuck or the insanity defense. Finding jurors who are fit to serve and who would be willing to sentence a man to death -- but aren’t overzealous about it -- would have been extraordinarily difficult.

 

[SeesSeas]

The draft, taxes and jury duty. That’s it, the judge says of the responsibilities of being a citizen.
The trial of John Jonchuck, Day 3: Behind schedule
LANE (3:07 p.m.)
Jonchuck drops his chin between his fists and stares at the table. He looks tired now. His mouth hangs open, his eyes are heavy and he keeps blinking and slightly rocking in his seat.

The lawyers and judge debate which prospective jurors to cut, and who to keep. She lets 27 more people go. That means 39 will return for individual questioning after a 15-minute break.

JOSH (2:59 p.m.)
UPDATE: The power is back. Nobody clapped, which was disappointing.

LANE AND JOSH (2:49 p.m.)
This is breaking news. The power goes out in the courtroom. An alarm starts beeping. The judge keeps going. “Alright, fourth row.”

The Sheriff’s Office makes an announcement, telling us what we already know -- the lights are off. We’re waiting for firefighters.

The fallout: the prospective jurors who are excused have to take the stairs, as the elevator went out; those who are hard of hearing and wear headphones can’t hear; and worst of all, it’s beginning to get hot in here.

LANE (2:45 p.m.)
The draft, taxes and jury duty. That’s it, the judge says of the responsibilities of being a citizen. Is there anyone who is unable to serve in this case? Half the people raise their hands.

One woman sitting on the wooden pews says she has to get X-rays tomorrow for a herniated disc. “I’m a teacher, and I’ve been standing teaching for the last two weeks. I don’t know if I could sit that long.”

“If you’re chosen as a juror,” the judge says from her leather swivel chair, “the seats are better. You want to come up here and try it? And I’ll take breaks to accommodate you.”

A woman in a red sweater, who looks like she’s about to cry, says simply, “I don’t feel well.” The judge releases her. Another woman says she has a child at home and two dogs. “Two dogs?” asks the judge. “And how old is your son?” He’s 17. The judge thanks her, and tells her to sit down.

“I don’t want to be here,” says a woman in the first row.

“That’s not a reason,” says the judge.

A young woman with long black hair is going to school and can’t miss a month.

Another young woman, who is unemployed, says she can’t wait another month to get work. “I won’t be able to pay my bills,” she says, sniffling. “And I have really bad anxiety.” The judge calls her to the bench. She starts crying, so the judge lets her go.

A woman with grey hair is a health care provider, and takes care of someone who needs her. She can’t afford to be out of work that long, her employer won’t pay her. “I won’t be broke, but I’ll be struggling.”

A woman in teal scrubs says she’s a licensed aesthetician and is trying to build her business. She has to stay. For now.

“I’m a primary giver for a stroke patient,” says a woman in a purple blouse. “He’s home by himself right now. I spend three or four hours with him every day, sometimes nights. It varies.”

“I get paid by the hour,” says a man in a maroon polo. “So I wouldn’t get paid at all.”

A man in a plaid, button-up shirt says he’s a small businessman who is just getting everything up and rolling. “If I can get everybody up and rolling first, maybe I can make this work.”

“Thank you,” said the judge. “You’re a shining example for everybody else.”

Man in white shirt: I have to finish some competency tests, some EKG tests by the 31st … So I’m not sure I can be here. I have to take a competency test at Baycare. I’m a nurse.”

 

[Niner]

Thursday, March 21st:
*Jury Selection continues (Day 4) (@ 9am ET) – FL – Phoebe Jonchuck (5) (Jan. 18, 2015, St. Petersburg-thrown off 62’ bridge into Tampa Bay by her father) – *John Nicolas Jonchuck, Jr. (25/now 28) arrested & charged (1/18/15) with 1st degree murder, aggravated assault with a vehicle on LE officers & aggravated fleeing & eluding police. Plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Held without bond. Pinellas County
Jury trial set for 3/18/19 with Jury Selection. (Trial could take 4 weeks. General hours are going to be 9 in the morning until 7 at night).
3/18/19 Jury Selection Day 1: 13 people made a shortlist out of more than 100 to appear in court. Some of those 100 will return for more questioning this afternoon. Others were dismissed because they could not make time for a four-week trial, knew too much about the notorious case already or expressed reservations about their abilities to fairly consider an insanity defense.. Picking a jury could take all week. Jury selection continues on 3/19.
3/19/19 Jury Selection Day 2: They did not get through individual questioning of all the people who were originally called in yesterday afternoon. Some will have to come back again tomorrow at 9 a.m. 35 people have made the shortlist. The judge is hoping to get 70. Jury selection continues on 3/20.
3/20/19 Jury Selection Day 3: The day ends with 54 prospective jurors shortlisted. The goal remains 70. The court will have two more panels of jurors in for individual questioning tomorrow -- both panels are leftovers from earlier in the week. If they can get to the target number from those prospective jurors, they won’t need to call any more panels. Jury selection continues on 3/21.

 

[SeesSeas]

Some morning highlights, and a bona fide master class on how to get out of jury duty.
The trial of John Jonchuck, Day 4: The road to 70
March 21, 2019
LANE AND JOSH (10:03 a.m.)
After an hour, only one person has been added to the pool to come back on Friday. The prosecution questions the judge’s strategy of dismissing any juror who says they believe Jonchuck did it. The issue, says prosecutor Doug Ellis, isn’t whether he did it, it’s whether there’s an excuse.

“I don’t know what I do with someone who says he has an opinion and says they know he’s guilty,” the judge tells the lawyers. “They’re not conceding that. Are you conceding that?"

The judge addresses the defense, who says no. At issue here is that even though the defense plans to argue Jonchuck was insane, it’s still up to the prosecution to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a crime was committed. So, is it acceptable to have a juror who has already made up their mind about guilt?

“So if they say he’s guilty," the judge asked, "what are we supposed to do?”

LANE, DAN AND JOSH (9:50 a.m.)
The judge is flying through prospective jurors at a pace unseen this week. Most are being excused after just a few questions.

One man can’t afford to be away from work. He’s excused. Then a man says he couldn’t consider an insanity defense. He’s gone too.

“I think he’s guilty,” the next man says right away. He says he’s not likely to change his opinion. The judge dismisses him too.

“I can’t say he’s not guilty,” says the next woman. Another strike.

DAN AND JOSH (9:30 a.m.)
Five prospective jurors down, four dismissals. Some highlights, and a bona fide master class on how to get out of jury duty.

Male juror: “I’m a code compliance officer with the city of St. Petersburg. … I have discussed this case with people at work last week. To be honest with you, my opinions have not changed. … I would like to be excused from this case. I don’t think I can give you what you’re looking for.”

The judge asks what he thinks she’s looking for.

“I believe anything short of a death sentence is an injustice,” he says.

He is excused.

The next man says, “My wife told me about this case. She doesn’t like what happened at all.”

“I don’t think anybody does,” said the judge.

“I know he threw his 5-year-old daughter off the bridge.”

“Would you be able to set aside what your wife told you and only listen to the evidence in court?” asked the judge.

“Oh she’s going to nag me, I know.”

“Well if you’re chosen as a juror your wife shouldn’t be nagging you. Do you really listen to everything your wife says? I didn’t mean it like that, but … If you indicate to her that you’re not supposed to be talking about it, is she going to talk to you about it anyway?”

“Probably.”

“Okay, I’m going to excuse you.”

 

[SeesSeas]

The trial of John Jonchuck, Day 4: The road to 70
LANE AND JOSH (3:31 p.m.)
This is the final update of the afternoon. An early dismissal!

After a fair bit of confusion, we’ve got it sorted out. The lawyers will work to pick a jury - 12 plus four alternates - from their shortlist of 67 prospective jurors. The fresh panel from this afternoon is an emergency panel, on call for Monday afternoon, in the event they cannot fill out the jury. If they can seat the entire jury tomorrow, none of the new people have to come back next week. It’s that’s the case, opening statements will start Monday.

If they must continue picking a jury Monday, opening statements could happen Tuesday, or Wednesday, or...

Follow along tomorrow as we cover the next -- and hopefully last -- phase of jury selection.

 

[SeesSeas]

In trial, John Jonchuck gave his mental condition a name
March 21, 2019
LARGO — Questions about John Jonchuck’s sanity have dogged his criminal case since the day he was first accused of tossing his 5-year-old daughter, Phoebe, from the Dick Misener Bridge in St. Petersburg.

He has previously received treatment in a state hospital after being declared incompetent to stand trial.

This week, Jonchuck himself put a name to his condition.

Standing in court on the first day of what is expected to be a month-long murder trial, Jonchuck told Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Chris Helinger that he is being treated for schizoaffective disorder.
[...]
In court, he said he takes six different medications. They include Seroquel and Haldol, both common antipsychotics, which are designed to reduce the schizophrenic symptoms.
[...]
The four other medications Jonchuck takes include drugs for anxiety, depression. They are:

• Gabapentin, an anti-seizure medicine, which is sometimes used to treat anxiety.

• Cogentin, a medicine used to counteract side effects — like involuntary movements and muscle stiffness — which commonly result from anti-psychotic drugs.

• Klonopin, a sedative, which reduces anxiety.

• Wellbutrin, an antidepressant.
[...]

 

[Niner]

Friday, March 22nd:
*Jury Selection continues (Day 5) (@ 9am ET) – FL – Phoebe Jonchuck (5) (Jan. 18, 2015, St. Petersburg-thrown off 62’ bridge into Tampa Bay by her father) – *John Nicolas Jonchuck, Jr. (25/now 28) arrested & charged (1/18/15) with 1st degree murder, aggravated assault with a vehicle on LE officers & aggravated fleeing & eluding police. Plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Held without bond. Pinellas County
Jury trial set for 3/18/19 with Jury Selection. (Trial could take 4 weeks. General hours are going to be 9 in the morning until 7 at night).
3/18/19 Jury Selection Day 1: 13 people made a shortlist out of more than 100 to appear in court. Some of those 100 will return for more questioning this afternoon. Others were dismissed because they could not make time for a four-week trial, knew too much about the notorious case already or expressed reservations about their abilities to fairly consider an insanity defense.. Picking a jury could take all week. Jury selection continues on 3/19.
3/19/19 Jury Selection Day 2: They did not get through individual questioning of all the people who were originally called in yesterday afternoon. Some will have to come back again tomorrow at 9 a.m. 35 people have made the shortlist. The judge is hoping to get 70. Jury selection continues on 3/20.
3/20/19 Jury Selection Day 3: The day ends with 54 prospective jurors shortlisted. The goal remains 70. The court will have two more panels of jurors in for individual questioning tomorrow -- both panels are leftovers from earlier in the week. If they can get to the target number from those prospective jurors, they won’t need to call any more panels. Jury selection continues on 3/21.
3/21/19 Jury Selection Day 4: 5 people to return tomorrow for more questioning from the last group of 27. That brings our total up to 59 @ 11:30am. Up to 63 a@ 12:45pm. 65 @ 1:07pm. Ended with 67 prospective juries. Jury selection continues on 3/22. If they can seat the entire jury tomorrow, none of the new people have to come back next week. It’s that’s the case, opening statements will start Monday.

 

[SeesSeas]

The Trial of John Jonchuck, Day 5: Narrowing it down
March 22, 2019
JOSH (9:53 a.m.)
The defense asked the judge to read to the prospective jurors the jury instruction 3.6(c), which notifies jurors that the defendant is on psychotropic drugs, and asks them to disregard any abnormal behaviors. Here is 3.6(c) below:

(Defendant) currently is being administered psychotropic medication under medical supervision for a mental or emotional condition.

Psychotropic medication is any drug or compound affecting the mind, behavior, intellectual functions, perception, moods, or emotion and includes anti-psychotic, anti-depressant, anti-manic, and anti-anxiety drugs.

You shall not allow the defendant’s present condition in court or any apparent side effect from the medication that you may have observed in court to affect your deliberations.

LANE (9:49 a.m.)
If someone doesn’t show for jury duty, the judge can summons them back to court and hold them in contempt. She can fine them up to $100 or send them to jail.

JOSH (9:35 a.m.)
We’re already off to a rocky start. Sixty-seven is now down to 65, as two prospective jurors are absent. Sounds like the judge is inclined to get started without them. And a handful or jurors are marked incorrectly on the seating chart. Lawyers are going over the charts now. The jurors will be brought in soon.

 

[SeesSeas]

The Trial of John Jonchuck, Day 5: Narrowing it down
DAN (11:42 a.m.)
Quite a strange thing happened during questioning. Turns out, the prosecutors had discovered that one of the prospective jurors had an active arrest warrant in Sarasota County. They informed the judge, who told the bailiffs, who called down to Sarasota to see if the folks down there wanted him arrested. They said they did, so the bailiffs quietly removed him from the courtroom and took him into custody. The questions continued without disruption.

That’s one way to get out of jury duty.

Now we’re at 60.

JOSH (11:17 a.m.)
We’re learning about people as the prosecutor asks them questions. Teachers, two lawyers, moms, dads. Most have kids. Some are retired. One was an Army medic, one spins cotton candy at fairs across the country. The prosecutor asks follow-ups occasionally. Like to a man who said his wife used to be a judicial assistant, or to a woman who said her husband is a nurse. Would any of that keep you from being impartial? Everyone thus far has said no.

LANE: (11:08 a.m.)
Prosecutor Doug Ellis approaches the podium, to begin his round of voir dire. Loosely translated, he said, it means, tell the truth. “This is your only chance to talk to us,” he said.

He asks each person to state their name, occupation, their spouse’s occupation the city you live in, the number of children you have and their ages.

Man with big beard supervises construction projects. I have two daughters, 13 and 11 and a boy who is 8. Married. His wife manages a health food store.

Woman with blonde ponytail works in event planning.

Man in green shirt builds swimming pools. No kids, no spouse.

Woman in grey tank top works for Medicaid taking care of disabled adults. Down syndrome, cerebral palsy. My spouse works for a cemetery and buries people. I have three children and two-step children, ages 2, 3, 5, 9 and 12.

 

[SeesSeas]

The long arm of the law ends in a heavy hand. IMO!
The Trial of John Jonchuck, Day 5: Narrowing it down
JOSH (1:20 p.m.)
An update on the juror who was arrested in court. The 50-year-old had a warrant out of Sarasota issued December 1994 (if you can believe it). The charges? Failure to appear and failure to pay court costs, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

 

[SeesSeas]

Jury selection completed
The Trial of John Jonchuck, Day 5: Narrowing it down
JOSH (6:57 p.m.)
That closes out day 5 of the Jonchuck trial. The case resumes Monday at 1 p.m. with opening statements.

LANE (6:55 p.m.)
The prospective jurors are coming back to the courtroom. Jonchuck is smiling, talking to his defense lawyers. Both sides seem relieved that they might finally have a pool.

“If I call your name, please go sit in the jury box … “

Seven women and nine men take the comfy leather seats.

“I want to give you my sincere appreciation,” said the judge. “You’ve been here between two and four days. We’re very grateful you all showed up. Some of the questions, I’m sure, were troublesome and soul searching and brought up bad memories. We appreciate it.”

JOSH (6:45 p.m.)
UPDATE: They have picked a jury. The judge is about to inform the panel who has been selected, and who is excused.

 

[Niner]

Update!

Friday, March 22nd:
*Jury Selection continues (Day 5) (@ 9am ET) – FL – Phoebe Jonchuck (5) (Jan. 18, 2015, St. Petersburg-thrown off 62’ bridge into Tampa Bay by her father) – *John Nicolas Jonchuck, Jr. (25/now 28) arrested & charged (1/18/15) with 1st degree murder, aggravated assault with a vehicle on LE officers & aggravated fleeing & eluding police. Plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Held without bond. Pinellas County
Jury trial set for 3/18/19 with Jury Selection. (Trial could take 4 weeks. General hours are going to be 9 in the morning until 7 at night).
3/18/19 Jury Selection Day 1: 13 people made a shortlist out of more than 100 to appear in court. Some of those 100 will return for more questioning this afternoon. Others were dismissed because they could not make time for a four-week trial, knew too much about the notorious case already or expressed reservations about their abilities to fairly consider an insanity defense.. Picking a jury could take all week. Jury selection continues on 3/19.
3/19/19 Jury Selection Day 2: They did not get through individual questioning of all the people who were originally called in yesterday afternoon. Some will have to come back again tomorrow at 9 a.m. 35 people have made the shortlist. The judge is hoping to get 70. Jury selection continues on 3/20.
3/20/19 Jury Selection Day 3: The day ends with 54 prospective jurors shortlisted. The goal remains 70. The court will have two more panels of jurors in for individual questioning tomorrow -- both panels are leftovers from earlier in the week. If they can get to the target number from those prospective jurors, they won’t need to call any more panels. Jury selection continues on 3/21.
3/21/19 Jury Selection Day 4: 5 people to return tomorrow for more questioning from the last group of 27. That brings our total up to 59 @ 11:30am. Up to 63 a@ 12:45pm. 65 @ 1:07pm. Ended with 67 prospective juries. Jury selection continues on 3/22. If they can seat the entire jury tomorrow, none of the new people have to come back next week. It’s that’s the case, opening statements will start Monday.
3/22/19 Jury selection Day 5: 2 jurors failed to show, down to 65. Down to 60 at 11:45am. At 7pm - jury has been selected: 7 women & 9 men. Opening statements start at 1pm 3/25.

 

[SeesSeas]

Long days, long week, but finally, a jury for Jonchuck
March 22, 2019
After five days, the judge finally seated a jury Friday night.

The process had been frustrating, for the judge, the lawyers and many of the 1,200 people summoned to hear the murder trial of John Jonchuck.

Some prospective jurors had to come back to the Pinellas County Justice Center on three different days. They had to miss work, cancel allergy shots and physical therapy appointments, hire babysitters and dog walkers, find someone to pick up their kids, take their spouses to doctors’ appointments, check in on their elderly parents.

After a week of waiting, of explanations and interviews, 12 of them — plus four alternates — were chosen to serve on the panel that will decide whether Jonchuck was insane when he threw his 5-year-old daughter, Phoebe, off a bridge, into the chilly waters of Tampa Bay.

This trial “is one of the most complex cases we’ve had to seat,” said Justin Gross, who supervises jury services for the county. In his six years on the job, he couldn’t remember calling in more than 1,000 people for a single trial. Only 40 percent showed up, he said, which is a typical rate. So many people need to reschedule jury duty.

So many who show can’t serve — or don’t want to.

The county pays $15 a day for the first three days of jury duty, $30 for every day after that. That’s barely enough to cover gas and lunch, let alone lost wages. The rate hasn’t been raised in more than 20 years.

This case has complicating factors: An off-duty St. Petersburg police officer saw Jonchuck drop Phoebe off the approach to the Sunshine Skyway bridge on a cold January night in 2015. News outlets across the country aired the story. No one is debating whether the 29-year-old, with a history of violence and mental health issues, killed his daughter. The question is: Was he insane when he did?
[...]

 

[Niner]

Anything on the break down of the jurors? All I have is 7 women & 9 men.