KFC Jury Selection Complete
Staff photo by Jaime R. Carrero
Rusk County Fourth District Judge J. Clay Gossett addresses the prosecution and defense lawyers at the Bowie County Courthouse in New Boston. The selection of the jury has been finalized at 15 -- 12 jurors and three alternates.
By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer
NEW BOSTON – Jury selection is complete for the 24-year-old Kilgore Kentucky Fried Chicken murder trial.
State District Judge Clay Gossett announced before noon Thursday that the trial of Romeo Pinkerton, 49, Tyler, will begin at 9 a.m., Oct. 15, in New Boston at the Bowie County Courthouse.
Gossett said 15 people were chosen from a pool of 900 Bowie County residents. The panel – 12 jurors and three alternates – is comprised of seven males ranging in age from 39 to 69 and eight females age 30 to 66. Jury selection began Aug. 15, with the final jurors confirmed this morning.
Staff Writer
NEW BOSTON – Jury selection is complete for the 24-year-old Kilgore Kentucky Fried Chicken murder trial.
State District Judge Clay Gossett announced before noon Thursday that the trial of Romeo Pinkerton, 49, Tyler, will begin at 9 a.m., Oct. 15, in New Boston at the Bowie County Courthouse.
Gossett said 15 people were chosen from a pool of 900 Bowie County residents. The panel – 12 jurors and three alternates – is comprised of seven males ranging in age from 39 to 69 and eight females age 30 to 66. Jury selection began Aug. 15, with the final jurors confirmed this morning.
Staff photo by Jaime R. Carrero
Gilmer defense attorney David Griffith listens to Fourth District Rusk County Judge J.Clay Gossett during the press conference announcing the final selection of the jury in the KFC murder trial of Romeo Pinkerton at the Bowie County District Court in New Boston this morning.
Gossett, 4th State District Judge from Rusk County, ordered a change of venue earlier this year because of extensive media coverage in the unsolved murders.
Pinkerton, along with his cousin, Darnell Hartsfield, are accused of the “execution-style” slayings of Mary Tyler, 37; Opie Ann Hughes, 39; Joey Johnson, 20; David Maxwell, 20; and Monte Landers, 19, who had all been shot at least twice.
Authorities contend the cousins abducted the victims from the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Kilgore on Sept. 23, 1983, and took them to an oil lease on Walker King Road in Rusk County and shot them to death.
Pinkerton, along with his cousin, Darnell Hartsfield, are accused of the “execution-style” slayings of Mary Tyler, 37; Opie Ann Hughes, 39; Joey Johnson, 20; David Maxwell, 20; and Monte Landers, 19, who had all been shot at least twice.
Authorities contend the cousins abducted the victims from the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Kilgore on Sept. 23, 1983, and took them to an oil lease on Walker King Road in Rusk County and shot them to death.
Staff photo by Jaime R. Carrero
Tyler defense attorney Jeff Hass listens to Fourth District in Rusk County Judge J. Clay Gossett during the final juror selection in the KFC murder case against Romeo Pinkerton that happened in in Kilgore 24 years ago.
Referring to the race, occupation and religion of the 15 jurors selected, Gossett said, “I think you are going to see a broad cross-section of people we selected.”
Gossett said the reason the process took so long – 43 days – was because the trial is a capital murder case and “many jurors were disqualified because of their extreme views on the death penalty.”
The case is being prosecuted by the Lisa Tanner of the Texas Attorney General's Office in conjunction with the Rusk County District Attorney’s Office. The defense team consists of Tyler attorney Jeff Haas and Gilmer attorney David Griffith.
Updated Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007 at 1:41 p.m. CDT
Pinkerton was present in the courtroom early in the day, but was taken back to the Bowie County Jail, where he will remain until the trial begins.
Gossett said the reason the process took so long – 43 days – was because the trial is a capital murder case and “many jurors were disqualified because of their extreme views on the death penalty.”
The case is being prosecuted by the Lisa Tanner of the Texas Attorney General's Office in conjunction with the Rusk County District Attorney’s Office. The defense team consists of Tyler attorney Jeff Haas and Gilmer attorney David Griffith.
Updated Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007 at 1:41 p.m. CDT
Pinkerton was present in the courtroom early in the day, but was taken back to the Bowie County Jail, where he will remain until the trial begins.
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