10 Women, 3 Men Seated On Fajardo Jury

A predominately female jury will hear testimony Thursday in the rape trial of Werner Fajardo. Attorneys chose 10 women and three men to hear the case. A female has been chosen as an alternate jury. The final panel of 17 prospective jurors was not examined by attorneys as they obtained 54 possible jurors in the first three panels. The were required to qualify at least 52. Fourteen jurors were excused during challenges in the panel sessions. The remaining pool was elminated during about an hour preempatory striking, where both Fajardo’s attorney Carmen Means and Beadle County States Attorney Mike Moore removed 20 jurors each from final consideration. Many of the jurors removed during the panel sessions claimed to be unable to decided the case based strickly on evidence that would be presented. Testimony and evidence in the trial is expected to last all day Thursday and into Friday. Attorneys told jurors they would like to hand them the case by Friday afternoon but said, depending on how the trial goes, the jury could get the case Monday morning.