Jury selection complete for Lac-Mégantic trial

SHERBROOKE, QUE. •A jury of 14 has been selected from among 300 candidates to hear the trial of three men charged in the Lac-Mégantic train derailment that killed 47 people.

All 14 jurors will hear the evidence but only 12 will be selected at random to deliberate over the fate of three former railway employees: train driver Thomas Harding, traffic controller Richard Labrie and manager of train operations Jean Demaitre.

All three have pleaded not guilty to one count of criminal negligence causing death.

A total of 47 people died and part of the Quebec town was destroyed when oil laden train cars derailed and caught fire.

The trial is scheduled to begin Monday in Sherbrooke, 150 kilometres east of Montreal.

It took weeks to select a jury with would- be jurors asked about their knowledge of the case, if they had been personally affected by the tragedy and what connections they had to people working in the railway industry.

Several jurors were rejected after they told the court they had made up their minds about whether or not the three accused were guilty and said their opinions were likely not going to change.

Quebec Superior Court Justice Gaetan Dumas told prospective jurors they would be required to dole out justice impartially and “without fear” if they were chosen.

Dumas also told them they must be patient and have an open mind while listening to the evidence.

The Crown said it will call 24 civilian and 11 police witnesses, and one expert witness in a trial that is expected to last until December.

The bankrupt former railway company Montreal Maine and Atlantic Railway has also pleaded not guilty to causing the deaths of 47 people and will face a separate trial at a later date.

Between 800 and 1,200 prospective jurors were called to court in the initial days of jury selection.