Widow of Orlando nightclub shooter faces federal trial

Orlando, Fla. — The gunman who killed 49 people in the Pulse nightclub attack was shot and killed hours afterward. Now, nearly two years later, his widow is being held accountable, charged with helping her husband plan the attack.

The trial of Noor Salman, widow of shooter Omar Mateen, opened Thursday with jury selection that is expected to be lengthy, owing to the difficulty of finding jurors in the Orlando area capable of being fair and impartial given the high profile of the massacre — at the time, it was the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Prosecutors have said Salman accompanied her husband when he cased locations for potential terrorist attacks, knew ahead of time that he was planning the attack and misled FBI agents about what she knew about her husband’s plans.

The defense plans to argue that Salman was abused by her husband and afraid to defy him.

U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron questioned jurors one by one about their knowledge of the Pulse nightclub shooting and whether they knew anyone connected to the incident or the case. It took a half-hour Thursday morning to question the first potential juror; each person called had previously filled out a lengthy questionnaire about their backgrounds, opinions and knowledge of the case.

The judge said the trial could last five weeks or more once the 12 jurors are chosen — a process that itself will likely take up to two weeks. He asked the potential jurors about whether they can be impartial in the wake of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting, and also asked if they believe the war on terror targets Muslims. Potential jurors were also asked if they know survivors or victims of a terrorist attack.

Salman, 31, is charged with aiding and abetting her husband, Omar Mateen, in planning the June 16, 2016 attack. She’s also been charged with obstruction of justice and faces life in prison if convicted. She has pleaded not guilty.

Community leaders said the trial could bring difficult emotions to the surface for many people.