Jury Selection Continues In Loukaitis Case Pool Questioned About Influence Of Mtv, Stephen King Novels

Put together a random group of 108 people who have driver’s licenses or are registered to vote - the basis for jury selection in Washington state - and you come up with all kinds.

Lawyers are sorting through these individuals, working to assemble a 12-member jury panel and four alternates for the trial of Barry Loukaitis, who has admitted fatally shooting two classmates and a teacher at his Moses Lake junior high on Feb. 2, 1996.

The 16-year-old Loukaitis, who has been in the courtroom since the jury-selection process began Monday, has pleaded innocent by reason of insanity. He was 14 at the time of the shootings.

At least two prospective jurors had personal connections with victims in the case. Juror No. 47 knew the mother of 14-year-old Arnold Fritz, who was killed in the shooting at Frontier Junior High. Juror No. 71, a retired high-school teacher, had once taught the husband of algebra teacher Leona Caires - also slain.

Both were excused.

The third victim in the classroom attack was Manuel Vela, 14. A third student, Natalie Hintz, was shot but survived.

Several prospective jurors have friends, co-workers or family members who have suffered mental illness - also an issue in the case.

Juror No. 69 has a brother with serious mental illness.

“As long as he takes his medication, he’s basically the same as you and me … he can maintain,” she said.

While most said their experiences with people suffering psychological problems would not affect their impartiality, one woman wept Wednesday as she discussed the depression that had caused her mother to be hospitalized four times since February. She was excused.

Juror No. 68, who had herself been recently treated for serious mental illness, also was excused Wednesday.

Several have been excused for “hardship,” because the trial - expected to last at least four weeks - could cause them financial difficulty, family problems or physical discomfort.

Juror No. 56 said his serving would be a hardship for his wife, who would be on her own with their two foster daughters, ages 6 and 8.

Jury duty “would be a vacation for me and a nightmare for her,” he said.

But when the questions focused on the insanity defense, he said flatly he would find it difficult to give that any credibility.

“I think the defense would be pretty foolish to have me as a juror,” he said.

Could he could follow the judge’s instructions if he were selected?

“The day I got out of the Army was the day I stopped blindly following orders,” said Juror No. 56, adding that he could not say whether he could follow the judge’s instructions.

Asked whether he had made up his mind about the case, he said, “95 percent yes.”

He was excused.

All jurors filled out a questionnaire last Friday, responding to 93 questions intended to help determine their suitability.

Defense lawyers Michael Frost and Michelle Shaw and Grant County Prosecutor John Knodell are considered them in three groups of about three dozen each. On Wednesday, they were making their way through the second batch of jurors, focusing on those whose questionnaire responses raised concerns.

Jury selection began Monday and is expected to take all week.

Loukaitis is being tried as an adult.