Houston – The imminent 3rd high-profile homicide trial of AJ Armstrong has already noticed dueling requests filed by means of the protection and prosecutors, indicating the ongoing stress between the 2 aspects over pre-trial exposure. Defense legal professional Rick DeToto filed motions on Thursday, asking for a listening to to talk about the obvious courting between a juror and a Harris County prosecutor, and to extend jury selection. However, the pass judgement on denied the movement. The following day, prosecutors additionally filed a movement, asking to proper what they known as “a large number of misstatements,” and upload any other layer of evaluate ahead of court docket data are made public.
The protection argued {that a} former Harris County Assistant District Attorney shared {that a} prosecutor was once relationship a juror all through Armstrong’s 2nd trial, and this was once now not disclosed all through jury selection. As a outcome, the protection argues that Armstrong’s proper to a good trial by means of independent jurors was once denied. The state’s reaction states that the individual in query sat as another juror, and the prosecutor had no association with the defendant’s case at any time, and didn’t act as a trial prosecutor on it. Additionally, the district legal professional’s place of work showed that change jurors don’t planned with sitting jurors.
The prosecutors are asking the pass judgement on to do so to give protection to the integrity of the jury selection procedure. In January, Judge Kelli Johnson issued a exposure order combating lawyers from making extrajudicial statements. The order was once in reaction to the high-profile case and lawyers’ willingness to present interviews, in addition to a countrywide news display publishing testimonies and inadmissible proof after the second one mistrial. Prosecutors name the protection’s newest movement an try to taint the jury pool and label the former gag order inadequate to give protection to the jury selection procedure’s integrity.
KPRC 2 items ‘The Bench’
Hosted by means of Investigative Reporter Joel Eisenbaum, KPRC 2 is interpreting the legalese, breaking down the arguments, and taking you within the case. You’ll pay attention from our panel of professionals and journalists, together with Rilwan Balogun.
When and the way you’ll be able to watch:
-
“The Bench” begins Monday and can ruin down what occurs all through jury selection -
Our particular protection will start at 8:00 am Monday on KPRC 2+
Copyright 2023 by means of KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.