First alternate juror selected in Wilkinsburg case
After losing one juror who had already been selected because of work commitments, the judge presiding over the capital case against two men accused of a mass shooting in Wilkinsburg decided Friday that five alternates must be selected.
By the end of the day — day 10 of jury selection — the full panel of 12 jurors had been seated, as well as one alternate. Selection in the case against Cheron Shelton, 32, of Lincoln-Lemington, and Robert Thomas, 31, of Homewood, will resume on Tuesday morning.
Shelton and Thomas are charged with killing five adults and an unborn child on March 9, 2016, on Franklin Avenue in Wilkinsburg. The victims, including three siblings and their two cousins, were at a backyard cookout that evening when, police said, Shelton opened fire with an assault rifle and Thomas with a handgun.
Jerry Michael Shelton, 35, Brittany Powell, 27, and Chanetta Powell, 25, who was eight months pregnant, Tina Shelton, 37, and Shada Mahone, 26, were killed.
Seven women and five men will serve as jurors.
Attorneys on the case interviewed 11 prospective jurors on Friday, accepting as an alternate the last person questioned at the end of the day, a man who works for the state.
Earlier Friday, Juror No. 10, a man who works as an architect and was selected on Wednesday, was dismissed by Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Edward J. Borkowski after he returned and said he had work commitments that would prevent his service.
It was then that the judge said he believed they should seat five alternates for the death penalty case. Originally, they were planning to pick four.
Testimony is scheduled to begin on Feb. 3.
If either Shelton or
Thomas is convicted of firstdegree murder, the case will move into a penalty phase in which the prosecution will try to convince the jury that the men should be sentenced to death.
Several times during voir dire, prospective jurors have expressed strong feelings in opposition to capital punishment, leading to their dismissal.
During questioning Friday afternoon, the man seated as Alternate No. 1 said he did not believe that the death penalty serves as a deterrent to violent crime. However, he did say he could impose it if the prosecution proved its case and it was justified by law.
The man who was questioned just before, however, said he could not impose such a penalty.
“I would have a tough time with myself if I knew I was the reason someone was put to death,” he said. “I can’t do it.”