Christian-Newsom Murders: Jury Selection Continues
Jury selection continued Tuesday in the trial of Lemaricus Davidson, alleged ringleader in the brutal murders of Channon Christian and ChristopherNewsom.
Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner must assume the daunting role of human lie detector.
It’s all in “the body language,” he explained.
“Some people are going to say ‘I can set aside’ (opinions about the guilt of defendant Lemaricus Davidson),” Baumgartner told attorneys Monday at the start of jury selection in the capital murder case. “Some people are going to say they can’t. Others are going to say ‘I’ll do my best.’ ”
Figuring out who is telling the truth is “what we are here for and what we are doing.”
With Davidson demanding a jury pool from a locale – Knox County – where public opinion against him runs high, Baumgartner acknowledged the odds are just as high that people may try to talk their way onto this jury as they would to try to get out of the duty . It’s up to the judge to not only try to prevent that but to make a good showing for appellate courts that each juror he approves is – on transcript paper at least – fair-minded.
“I think now I am beginning to understand your trial strategy,” Baumgartner told defense attorneys David Eldridge and Doug Trant.
Davidson is facing a compelling array of forensic evidence in the January 2007 slayings of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. If convicted, prosecutors Takisha Fitzgerald and Leland Price will seek the death penalty in a separate sentencing hearing.
Of the 28 potential jurors polled Monday, only 11 made the cut. One of those may also be dismissed. The judge said he wanted to give that case more consideration
Also on Monday Judge Baumgartner ruled that ballistics and fingerprint evidence is admissible.
