Jury pool selected in Huguely case

In light of the trial’s already slow pace, lawyers discussed the possibility of having to extend the trial an additional day. They decided that potential jurors should be available to serve on Feb. 18, a Saturday, if the case is still undecided at the conclusion of the allotted two weeks.

When court resumes this morning, the defense and commonwealth’s attorneys each will strike six jurors from the pool, leaving 15 people to hear the case. Three alternate jurors will be selected at random at the conclusion of testimony. One juror is expected to be released first thing this morning due to a family commitment.

Huguely pleaded not guilty in the slaying of his ex-girlfriend and fellow UVa lacrosse player Yeardley Love, of Cockeysville, Md., in court Monday morning. He is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, robbery, burglary, statutory burglary and grand larceny.

Huguely, who wore khakis, a black blazer and a tie, remained quiet throughout the day Tuesday. He spoke only with his attorneys but did make prolonged eye contact with his mother after the lunch recess.

Potential jurors answered questions about their knowledge of the case, as well as any personal experiences with alcohol or domestic abuse, in groups. They answered more specific, personal questions individually.

Huguely’s defense team, Francis McQ. Lawrence and Rhonda Quagliana, made objections to a number of potential jurors. The prosecution, made up of Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman and Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Claude Worrell, permitted most of the defense’s motions.

Quagliana motioned to dismiss 13 of the first 15 would-be jurors. Judge Hogshire overruled one of her objections, admitting only three people to the jury pool.

In the second group, Quagliana motioned to dismiss 12 of the 16 potential jurors. All of her motions were eventually granted.

The final three potential jurors were admitted to the pool early in the process of questioning the third group.

Many jurors were dismissed for having followed the case and forming opinions based on information presented in the media.

"It was all over the news," one juror said. "I believed what I read in the papers."

Two jurors, a married couple, were dismissed after the husband admitted to having discussed details of the case with his wife.

"We studiously avoid [discussing the case]," the wife told the judge, saying that she and her husband have not even read the newspaper together since they found out they were both potential jurors. She promised that, if selected, she could refrain from discussing details of the trial with her spouse "as long as I can discuss it with my cat."

Her husband admitted to having formed an opinion on the case.

"At the time [of Huguely’s arrest] I may have shared some thoughts with my wife, but that was a long time ago," the husband told the judge. He added that "it was certainly a surprise" for both of them to be summonsed to hear the same case.

When he said, "No, I would not" serve alongside his wife, the courtroom erupted in laughter.

Hogshire granted the defense’s motion to dismiss the couple because the husband may have shared prejudicial information with his spouse.

"I don’t want this case to come screaming back because of it," he said, referring to the possibility of a mistrial or appeal.

One juror selected Monday did not reappear in court Tuesday afternoon in accordance with Hogshire’s instructions. Hogshire had released jurors Monday night, but asked them to return to court Tuesday afternoon, not Tuesday morning as originally planned.

The missing juror returned to court after being contacted by the sheriff’s department and said that she was unaware of the change in instructions. She said she came to court Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m., but left when she realized no other jurors from her session were at the courthouse.

"I guess I thought I was there once, and didn’t come back," she said. Instead, the woman spent the day running errands. "I’m sorry if I held everything up," she said.

One juror, the father of two daughters who were 16 and 24 years old at the time of Love’s death, was admitted to the jury pool despite Quagliana’s objection.

"I’ve lived in this town for a long time … the Corner area isn’t what it used to be," he said. After Love’s death, he said he even told his daughters to avoid the area at certain times of night because it "is not a good place to be."

Court will resume this morning after 9 a.m.. After a jury is selected, both sides will give opening statements. Yeardley Love’s mother, Sharon Love, will be the first witness to testify. Lexie Love, Yeardley’s sister, will be the second person to take the stand.