Pool of jurors for Salman’s trial at least 40 for trial of Pulse gunman’s widow

Potential jurors in Noor Salman’s trial spoke Wednesday about the difficulty of deciding the fate of Pulse gunman Omar Mateen’s widow and the treatment of Muslims by President Donald Trump.

“The current president is unfair towards Muslims and I don’t believe Muslims are terrorists,” one juror said.

Forty people are now in the pool from which attorneys in the trial will choose a jury for her case. Two more potential jurors said they had to check with an employer and a childcare provider.

Salman is charged with aiding and abetting Mateen and with obstruction of justice. Mateen pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terror group during the attack at Pulse, in which 49 people died and at least 68 more were injured.

U.S. District Judge Paul Byron said he is looking for a pool of about 60 jurors. From there, attorneys will narrow the group to 12 jurors and 6 alternates. He estimated that testimony could begin March 14.

Another juror said that while she believes Trump treats Muslims unfairly, she does not think the same thing of the government as a whole. That woman, whose son sometimes worked as a DJ at Orlando nightclubs — though not at Pulse — said she watched lots of media coverage of the case after the attack.

“I vaguely remember some news coverage of them [Salman and Mateen] visiting Disney,” she said.

One juror, who was ultimately kept in the pool, expressed concern at facing the “huge decision” of Salman’s guilt or innocence. He said he also worried about whether his identity would remain secret while serving on the jury.

Byron has said those selected to serve on the jury will meet at a secret location each day and be discreetly taken to and from the federal courthouse to protect their identities.

Another juror said she remembered hearing that Salman helped her husband “and was equally responsible for the Pulse nightclub tragedy,” but said she could focus only on evidence she sees in the courtroom. Byron kept her in the pool.

glotan@orlandosentinel.com, 407-420-5774, or Twitter @tzigal; ktorralva@orlandosentinel.com, 407-420-5417 or Twitter @KMTorralva