Stanley jury told to ignore prejudice and sympathy
Twelve jurors and two alternates were told to put biases aside and remain impartial during the first day of Gerald Stanley’s second-degree murder trial.
Their task will be a difficult one, as the case has generated a huge amount of public and media attention. Stanley is accused of second-degree murder in the 2016 death of 22-year-old Colten Boushie, and the case has fuelled fiery debates on both racism and rural crime despite no clear indication that either was a factor in the shooting.
The morning was spent selecting jurors from the pool of 750 people who were summoned. Proceedings had to be moved from the Battleford Court of Queen’s Bench to a nearby recreation centre simply to accommodate the huge number of potential jurors. Chief Justice Martel Popescul spent the bulk of the day evaluating the arguments of potential jurors who asked to be excused from service for personal reasons. More than 40 jurors were excused, for reasons ranging from health issues to a previous career in law enforcement overseas.
During the selection process, each possible juror was asked to make eye contact with Stanley, who sat calmly behind a small table wearing dark clothes and work boots, facing away from the gallery. Despite the huge pool of potential jurors, no visibly-Indigenous members were selected, a fact which drew stern criticism from Jade Tootoosis, cousin to the late Boushie.