It could be ‘very troublesome’ to search out truthful jury for man accused of killing 18 individuals, lawyer says
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Alabama man accused of killing 18 individuals in 2023 and 2024, together with two mass shootings, will go to trial in April subsequent 12 months, a decide dominated Tuesday.
However his attorneys have raised considerations about whether or not will probably be attainable to pick out neutral jurors from a metropolis nonetheless reeling from document ranges of violence final 12 months.
Damien McDaniel, 22, faces homicide prices associated to 18 deaths in Birmingham, Alabama — together with eight individuals killed at two separate mass shootings in July and September. Jefferson County District Decide Shanta Owens additionally dominated that prosecutors might pursue the demise penalty in opposition to McDaniel underneath Alabama legislation.
Birmingham had one of many deadliest years on document in 2024 with 151 homicides, in accordance with data compiled by AL.com. Birmingham cops have accused McDaniel and one in all different man of committing over 30% of these murders, casting the 22-year outdated as a central pressure within the widespread violence that touched lots of of lives throughout the town.
“We frequently say on these crime scenes that we now have a number of choose criminals that add to this crime and provides Birmingham a nasty identify,” Birmingham public data officer Truman Fitzgerald mentioned in November.
McDaniel, who’s being held in state jail, maintains his innocence, in accordance with his attorneys. They are saying that they have not seen any proof but.
John Robbins, one of many attorneys representing McDaniel, mentioned after the listening to that “the apparent concern is that we will not get a jury that does not know an entire lot about this case.”
“Sooner or later we should talk about whether or not we are able to have a good trial on this county,” Robbins mentioned. He added that his authorized crew was polling potential jurors throughout the county.
Owens mentioned she understood Robbins’ considerations about discovering jurors with out a vital connection to McDaniel’s alleged victims, however she cautioned that it is likely to be unimaginable to weed out anybody aware of the accusations in opposition to McDaniel, given the affect the shootings had on the town.
“I simply do not wish to get to the purpose the place we’re emptying the town of Birmingham” in search of jurors who don’t have any data of the case or connection to victims, Owens mentioned.
Owens clarified that it might be OK to have jurors who knew some victims tangentially, so long as they might be neutral and did not know victims “in depth” or “at size.”
A big crowd stuffed virtually all accessible house within the courtroom on Tuesday. Some wore T-shirts emblazoned with the names and faces of McDaniel’s alleged victims. Some shed tears after the listening to.
Earlier than the beginning of the listening to McDaniel’s mom and a member of the family of one of many victims received into an argument, they usually have been pressured to exit the courtroom by court docket deputies. McDaniel appeared in court docket sporting a crimson and pink striped jumpsuit, chained at his wrists and ankles.
Robbins mentioned after the listening to that McDaniel’s mom has acquired demise threats.
“Regulation enforcement is aware of about it. They do not do something,” Robbins mentioned, including that he was grateful that legislation enforcement intervened within the courtroom.
In April, McDaniel will first be tried for the costs associated to a mass taking pictures exterior of a nightclub the place 4 individuals have been fatally shot.