Jury pool at 55 in trial of Pulse shooter's widow
ORLANDO, Fla. _ As attorneys in the case against Noor Salman have sifted through dozens of potential jurors during the trial's first week, many have been excluded because they couldn't shake the feeling that Salman played a part in her husband's plot.
On Friday, a possible juror was sent home for the opposite reason: She was convinced that Salman is innocent.
"I just don't think she knew about it," the woman said. "I really don't."
During the seventh day of Salman's trial, the pool of potential jurors to try the case against the widow of Pulse nightclub gunman Omar Mateen had grown to 55 _ one shy of 56, the goal U.S. District Judge Paul Byron had set before the case will move to its next stage.
Jury selection will resume Monday.
The juror who said Salman was innocent was sent home. Also among those excused from the trial was a graphic designer for a local news station, who said he had transcribed 911 calls from the shooting.
One woman, an event planner, said she recalled seeing someone on television pose the question, "How could you not know your husband was planning this attack?" The juror said she believed it is possible for a spouse to keep secrets.
"People lead double lives," she said.
The woman was dismissed, however, after saying the news coverage of the case she saw would likely be in the back of her mind during the trial, if chosen.
_Orlando Sentinel
