A jury has been set in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer accused of fatally shooting an unarmed woman who called 911 to report a possible sexual assault near her home.
Late Monday morning, attorneys landed on a jury of 10 men and two women, along with two men and two women as alternates. There are six people of color, all of whom are in the first 12.
Mohamed Noor is charged with murder and manslaughter in the 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a dual Australian-U.S. citizen who was shot when she approached his squad car.
Attorneys spent last week and Monday morning paring a pool of 75 down to a panel of 12 jurors and four alternates. Now that the jury is set, opening statements will begin Tuesday at 9 a.m.
The judge said opening statements are not beginning Monday because she still has to rule on an issue involving expert witnesses.
If no one needs to be excused during the case, the alternates will go home when deliberations begin.
The judge is considering a media request to allow access to graphic evidence shown to the jury. Noor has joined the challenge to evidence restrictions. Judge Quaintance said she would not rule Monday, but the prosecutor said if she waits on that ruling, the media could appeal - and potentially delay things further.
Quaintance said she would take that into consideration.