Post by CCADP on Aug 18, 2005 14:11:52 GMT -5
Trial begins today for murder suspect
Thursday, August 18, 2005
By MATT DUNN
Staff Writer
BRIDGETON -- The capital murder trial of William Severs Jr. will take place in Cumberland County, Superior Court Judge Timothy Farrell ruled late Wednesday.
The decision was made in lieu of a last-minute motion by Severs' defense for a change in venue and a re-pooling of jurors.
Severs, 43, of Pittsgrove Township, has been indicted for first-degree murder and other related offenses in connection with the homicide of his ex-girlfriend, Tina Labriola, on Jan. 10, 2002.
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Opening arguments in the trial are expected to begin this morning.
Severs faces the death penalty if convicted of murder.
Attorney Alex Wazeter, representing Severs, expressed concern Wednesday morning potential jurors in Severs' trial may have been tainted by media accounts of the case.
"After enough interviews I have seen a pattern that (pre-trial publicity has corrupted the jury)," he remarked later.
During jury selection, which began Monday and ended Wednesday, dozens of potential jurors from a pool of about 250 county residents were dismissed.
About a third of jurors were sent home because they said they could not judge the case fairly due to what they read in the newspaper or saw on television, Farrell noted.
In addition to local newspaper coverage, Severs caught nationwide attention in 2002 after being featured on an episode of FOX's America's Most Wanted.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
By MATT DUNN
Staff Writer
BRIDGETON -- The capital murder trial of William Severs Jr. will take place in Cumberland County, Superior Court Judge Timothy Farrell ruled late Wednesday.
The decision was made in lieu of a last-minute motion by Severs' defense for a change in venue and a re-pooling of jurors.
Severs, 43, of Pittsgrove Township, has been indicted for first-degree murder and other related offenses in connection with the homicide of his ex-girlfriend, Tina Labriola, on Jan. 10, 2002.
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Opening arguments in the trial are expected to begin this morning.
Severs faces the death penalty if convicted of murder.
Attorney Alex Wazeter, representing Severs, expressed concern Wednesday morning potential jurors in Severs' trial may have been tainted by media accounts of the case.
"After enough interviews I have seen a pattern that (pre-trial publicity has corrupted the jury)," he remarked later.
During jury selection, which began Monday and ended Wednesday, dozens of potential jurors from a pool of about 250 county residents were dismissed.
About a third of jurors were sent home because they said they could not judge the case fairly due to what they read in the newspaper or saw on television, Farrell noted.
In addition to local newspaper coverage, Severs caught nationwide attention in 2002 after being featured on an episode of FOX's America's Most Wanted.