Jury selection underway in murder case

COEUR d'ALENE — Jury selection continues today in the double-murder trial of teen Eldon G. Samuel III.

A pool of more than 60 potential jurors was summoned to 1st District Court in Kootenai County Monday morning, and more will be coming in today as prosecutors and defense attorneys work to find 12 impartial jurors and some alternates for what is expected to be a two-and-a-half to four-week trial.

Samuel, 16, is charged with first-degree murder for the death of his 13-year-old autistic brother and second-degree murder for the death of his father on March 24, 2014, inside a Coeur d'Alene home owned by St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho. Samuel is being tried as an adult.

"Good morning," Samuel said when he turned to greet the potential jurors who could decide his fate. Cameras were not allowed in court Monday.

Samuel wore gray slacks, a blue button-up shirt and black dress shoes. Other than a brief introduction by court officials and then his greeting, he remained silent and sat still as he looked forward from the defense table.

"He did kill them," Samuel's defense attorney, Chief Public Defender John Adams, told the members of the public in the jury pool.

Adams told them their job in this trial, if they are selected, would be to decide what Samuel's "state of mind" was at the time of the killings.

"It's not a 'who done it,'" Adams said. "It's a 'why done it.'"

Senior Judge Benjamin Simpson spent most of the day Monday in open court asking the potential jurors questions to determine if they could be impartial and make a decision only on information presented in court during the trial.

Simpson and lawyers weeded out dozens of potential jurors.

They looked for ties to either side in the case or the potential witnesses. They sought to determine who read media reports about the case and couldn't set that information aside. Prospective jurors with certain medical needs, or personal or professional obligations were excused.

Many potential jurors were questioned individually in the judge's chambers — by Simpson and the lawyers — to reveal any potential conflicts.

Simpson said Monday he hoped to have a jury seated by mid-day today. If jury selection is completed, lawyers anticipate making opening statements later today.