By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-881739.mp3
Dallas, TX –
Attorneys in the second Dallas City Hall corruption trial will question a new panel of potential jurors today. KERA's BJ Austin says a jury was seated last week, on the same day a U.S. Supreme Court ruling confirmed jury selection should be conducted "in public."
Jurors for the extortion trial of Jibreel Rashad were seated last Monday, and opening arguments were about to begin Tuesday morning when defense attorneys moved for a mistrial based on the ruling from the High Court.
Dallas Attorney Clint David, not associated with the case, says Judge Barbara Lynn was not required to start over, but in an abundance of caution, declared a mistrial.
David: The next voire dire will be open, in public, for whoever wants to come in. But she will work very hard to protect the identity of those potential jurors.
They will be referred to by "number", not name. And no personal information about them will be divulged in open court.
Rashad's case was separated from the main trial involving bribery, extortion and city contracts because he is the brother of Ray Jackson, defense attorney for former Dallas City Councilman Don Hill. Jurors convicted Hill and four associates in October. Sentencing is set for next month.
Clint David says he doesn't expect this trial to provide any new information that might impact the sentencing guidelines for Hill and the others.
David: You know, you had months and months of evidence, thousands of exhibits. So, I think it's fair to say that it probably won't shine any new light on the trial that we originally saw.
Trial is set for March 8th for State Representative Terri Hodge, also indicted in the case.