ORLANDO, Fla. _ Noor Salman's trial resumed Tuesday morning with the fourth day of jury selection for Pulse nightclub gunman Omar Mateen's widow.
Salman is charged with aiding and abetting Mateen, who killed 49 people and injured dozens of others at the Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016. She is also charged with obstruction of justice.
On Monday, Salman's defense filed a motion detailing evidence that Mateen visited Disney Springs and another nightclub, EVE Orlando, in the hours prior to his attack on Pulse. Salman's lawyers hope the evidence will persuade U.S. District Judge Paul Byron to bar prosecutors from telling jurors during the trial that Mateen targeted the LGBTQ community.
Through the trial's first three days, Byron interviewed 42 jurors and kept 20 of them in the jury pool. Nearly all the rest were dismissed because of busy jobs, family or medical issues, or strong views about the case that prevented them from being impartial. Two more of the 42 jurors will be in the jury pool as well if they can sort out issues with a job and with caring for a family member.
Prior to the trial, hundreds of prospective jurors filled out questionnaires about their knowledge of the Pulse attack and their thoughts on Islam, domestic violence, police, and other issues. Byron has been asking them their thoughts on the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001; whether they are strongly against people who go to gun ranges; and whether they would feel community pressure to convict Salman.
Testimony is expected to begin next week and last three more weeks.
