By Bill Britt
Alabama Political Reporter
MONTGOMERY—Jury selection began on Monday in the Speaker Mike Hubbard felony trial. Presiding Judge Jacob Walker, III, said he believed a jury could be in place by Thursday, with opening statements to follow on Tuesday, May 24.
Judge Walker, Deputy Attorney General John Gibbs, and Defense Attorney David McKnight questioned potential jurors.
The day began with around one hundred Lee County residents summoned for jury duty. Almost one quarter of the jury pool was dismissed by Judge Walker for various reasons, including work and medical considerations. Less than fifty had heard of the case through media reports, four said they knew Hubbard personally, and many said that had negative opinions of politicians, but that it would not effect their ability to judge fairly.
Deputy Attorney Gibbs focused on the nuts and bolts while defense attorney McKnight seemed to be laying out his strategy by saying, Hubbard was a businessman, an entrepreneur, a salesman and a politician. He also asked if potential jurors had a problem with “pushy” language. The State has said it may offer some 1,500 pieces of evidence, much of which is believed to be emails between Hubbard and others.
Jury selection is scheduled to last all week.
