JEFFERSON CO., Pa. (EYT) – Jefferson County recently met with officials from Brookville Area School District to discuss the possibility of using the Brookville High School auditorium for jury selection.
According to Jefferson County Court Administrator Chad Weaver, while the county has continued to move court cases forward at a somewhat slower, but safe pace, and has held both bench and custodial trials since the COVID-19 pandemic closed down or limited many courts across Pennsylvania, jury trials are still a topic of some discussion.
Weaver noted that county and court officials toured the Brookville High School auditorium on Thursday to see about conducting jury selection there, due to the need for more space due to social distancing requirements.
“We’re really like to thank the school board and Dr. May,” he noted. “We’re grateful for how helpful they’ve been in offering the auditorium to us.”
Weaver said the initial plan, once jury selection is held, is to have the jury spaced out throughout the large courtroom, rather than seated in the traditional jury box.
“It’s unorthodox, and we will have to move the defense and commonwealth tables to create appropriate spacing there, too.”
The jury will also not deliberate in the jury room. Instead, the secondary, smaller courtroom will be used for deliberations, with assigned seating to keep the jurors appropriately spaced.
In the meantime, those attending other court functions will notice other changes, as well. Those being called as witnesses for bench and custodial trials have been asked to remain in their cars until they receive a phone call asking them to come inside the courthouse to give their testimony, after which they are asked to immediately leave the building again.
They are also not allowing anyone inside the courtroom unless they are a direct part of the court proceedings, and are strongly recommending masks inside the courthouse.
“Many of the other offices (in the courthouse) are making folks make appointments, and for some, where there’s not enough space for social distancing, they’re meeting with people in the hallway.”
In neighboring Clarion County, things have moved forward somewhat more quickly, as the county’s first post-COVID-19 jury trial was held on Friday, June 26. Court documents indicate the jury found 24-year-old Spencer Gene Rudolph, of Shippenville, guilty on one ungraded felony count of manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver of a controlled substance; three ungraded misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, and one ungraded misdemeanor count of use/possession of drug paraphernalia related to a drug case from February 2019.
Clarion County’s next jury trial, a burglary and terroristic threats case against 35-year-old Ryan Scott Cunningham, of Fairchance, Pa., is scheduled for Tuesday, July 7.
Rudolph is also scheduled to stand for another jury trial, this time along with co-defendant 32-year-old Aaron Ernest Johnson, of Pittsburgh. They are both facing a trial on first-degree felony drug delivery resulting in death and related charges on July 29 in relation to the November 2018 overdose death of a Clarion man.
According to Clarion County Court Administrator Tammy Slike, there have been many changes to accommodate the COVID-19 restrictions, including bringing potential jurors in to jury selection in much smaller groups at set intervals, rather than all at once.
During current trials, the jurors are also not seated in the traditional jury box and are being seated at least six feet apart throughout the courtroom.
The court is also requiring witnesses to wear masks as they are brought in past the jurors to testify, and have both masks and wipes available for everyone in the courtroom.
“We just starting to get back to something like normal, with some adjustments,” Slike said.
With the court still not open to spectators, only those directly involved with the court functions, Slike noted the size of Clarion County’s main courtroom definitely allows for the necessary social distancing.
Copyright © 2024 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited.
