ORLANDO, Fla. _ Noor Salman's trial resumed Friday morning, on the second day of jury selection for the widow of Pulse gunman Omar Mateen.
Salman's attorneys raised concerns Friday about a potential juror who wrote on a questionnaire that he did not "approve of Islam." In court, the man said he meant to indicate he didn't approve of religious extremists. The same juror also said he had a daughter whose friend died in the Pulse massacre.
However, the juror said he could fairly judge the case.
U.S. District Judge Paul Byron opted against removing the juror from the jury pool, noting the man was "as clear as I think one could be" that he would be impartial.
This morning, unlike the trial's first day, a camera in the courtroom was pointed at Salman, allowing reporters following the trial in an overflow area of the courthouse reserved for media, Pulse survivors and witnesses to observe her.
Her hair pulled back into a pony tail, Salman appeared engaged as U.S. District Judge Paul Byron began questioning potential jurors in the case, writing on a notepad and leaning forward. Her brows appeared to furrow as Byron explained to a juror the charges she faces.
At one point, when Byron raised the subject of terrorism, she reached across the table for a tissue. When the first juror questioned, a University of Central Florida student and software engineering intern, said he likely couldn't put aside his feelings about the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, both Salman and her attorney began writing.
That juror was sent home.
During a lull between the first and second jurors questioned this morning, Salman was seen smiling while interacting with her defense attorney, Linda Moreno, who put her arm around Salman.
Byron also asked attorneys in the case if they had seen any protesters outside the courthouse. They hadn't. Yesterday, a solitary demonstrator held a sign advocating for Salman's execution: "'FRY' HER TILL SHE HAS NO 'PULSE,'" it said.
Salman's defense attorney mentioned the protester to Byron, asking him to question jurors about what they saw outside the courthouse and how it affected their perceptions of the case.
Byron spoke with 10 jurors Thursday and kept six of them in the jury pool. He said he expects to pick up the pace Friday and interview another 14.
Potential jurors are being asked how much they know about the attack on Pulse, which left 49 people dead and dozens of others injured on June 12, 2016, and for their thoughts and feelings on terrorism, guns and last month's shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., among other topics.
Salman is charged with obstruction of justice and with aiding and abetting Mateen in his supporting a foreign terror organization, the Islamic State.
Byron said Thursday that he expects testimony in the case to begin in about 10 days, and for the trial to take another three weeks after that.
