ORLANDO, Fla. — The judge and attorneys began the arduous process of questioning some of the 500 potential jurors one by one Tuesday in the first murder trial of Markeith Loyd, accused of gunning down his pregnant ex-girlfriend in December 2016.
- 1st trial is for the death of Sade Dixon, his ex-girlfriend
- Loyd will later stand trial in Lt. Debra Clayton death
- MORE MARKEITH LOYD COVERAGE:
- Jury Selection For the Trial of Markeith Loyd Begins on Friday
- Judge Denies Request to Combine 2 Markeith Loyd Trials
- Markeith Loyd to Undergo Mental Evaluation After Courtroom Outburst
- Police Force Against Markeith Loyd Ruled "Lawful and Justified"
- New Docs Shed Light Into Orlando Cops' Use of Force Against Loyd
- Markeith Loyd Attorneys: Keep OPD Slaying Out of Sade Dixon Trial
- JUMP TO:
Hundreds of people received summons for jury duty, because the trial and penalty phase, taking place at the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando, could last more than a month.
The potential jurors were told basic facts of the case, including that Loyd is accused of killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Sade Dixon, which is what this trial is over. The trial is for two capital murder cases: Dixon and her unborn child.
Loyd remained on the loose for about a month before Clayton spotted Loyd at a Walmart. Investigators say Loyd shot and killed Clayton and got away. Loyd was captured more than a week later. During his arrest, he lost his left eye in what he claims was police brutality.
Potential jurors were also told that Loyd shot Orlando Police Lt. Debra Clayton but not that she was killed.
Jurors were asked by attorneys and Judge Leticia Marques whether they could keep an open mind about whether Loyd is guilty. Several people who said they were convinced Loyd was guilty were excused from the case. A few were dismissed because of extreme cases of hardship.
"In reality, it's going to be very difficult for (jurors). They're going to be sequestered for a very long time. They're going to be isolated from their families, their pets, their jobs, colleagues, their friends," legal analyst Jonathan Rose said. "They're going to have no contact with those people, very, very little."
All 12 jurors who are selected must come to a unanimous decision in the guilt and penalty phase of this trial. A single juror could potentially stop Loyd from getting convicted or getting a death penalty recommendation if he is found guilty.
Loyd’s lead defense attorney asked jurors whether they would stand up for what they believe, even if other jurors tried to dissuade them.
"(In) trying to get you to shift, how are you going to fare in that situation?" defense attorney Terence Lenamon asked a potential juror.
Loyd faces life in prison or the death penalty, and jurors were asked whether they’d be willing to consider both. Those who said they could keep an open mind moved on to the next round of jury selection, where they will be questioned further.
After the jury selection process began longer than the judge initially expected, she began asking potentially jurors questions in larger groups.
There was no jury selection on Monday due to Rosh Hashanah. Jury selection will continue Wednesday and is expected to take from two to four weeks. The trial itself and the penalty phase are expected to last another several weeks. After the Dixon case, Loyd will then stand trial for Clayton's murder.