ORLANDO, Fla. _ Five more jurors were questioned and taken out of the jury pool in Noor Salman's trial Monday morning.
Salman, 31, is charged with aiding and abetting her husband, Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen, and of obstruction of justice. Eighteen potential jurors are expected to come into the courtroom for questioning Monday.
Some jurors on Monday were asked what they think about Muslims and Islam, and whether their views on the religion will impact their ability to judge Salman fairly.
"The president is part of the government and acts unfairly toward Muslims," a male college student responded.
He said he thinks the government takes a more aggressive stance toward Muslims when making laws and referenced President Donald Trump's travel bans.
The juror was excused due to scheduling conflicts after saying he would be at risk of failing this semester from missing classes while in court.
Another man, who was also excused, said he had certain beliefs about Muslims based on his friends' military experiences overseas. A friend served in Iraq and another in Afghanistan. They told him stories that led him to believe Muslim women are submissive to their husbands. He said he would try to set aside his friends' stories but also said there would have to be something convincing to change his belief.
Salman, who has been animated in court, looked to her lawyer with eyebrows raised and nodded when another woman described beliefs that some Muslims are influenced to do bad while others are peaceful.
"Some Muslims are brainwashed to do horrible things" while others are "like me" and never hurt a person, the woman explained.
The college student and the woman who commented about brainwashing were "remarkable" but had time constraints, U.S. District Judge Paul Byron said.
"Yet another remarkable person who just doesn't have the time," Byron said.
Byron questioned 25 people over two days last week, keeping 13 of them in the jury pool. The rest were excused _ including a physician's assistant who said treating people injured in the shooting would keep him from being unbiased and a woman who said she was against guns.
Other jurors who knew people killed or injured but said they could remain impartial were kept in the jury pool. Byron and attorneys in the case asked jurors about their views on terrorist attacks, including those on Sept. 11, 2001.
Byron said he is looking to narrow the pool to about 56 people, from which a jury of 12 and about six alternates will be chosen.
Byron last week said testimony in the trial will likely begin about March 12 or 14, and said the trial will take three weeks.
