Large jury pool in Craft trial, no jury selected
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Several hundred potential jurors squeezed into the Catoosa County Superior Courtroom on Monday for the trial of a former teacher charged with child molestation.
By the afternoon, the prosecution still was questioning more than 200 potential jurors for the trial of former Chickamauga, Ga., kindergarten teacher Tonya Craft, said Lt. Rodney Guffey of the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office.
One courthouse staff member said about 500 jurors originally were pooled for the trial -- an unusually large amount for a case. Because of the gag order issued by Superior Court Judge Brian House, the staff member asked not to be named.
PDF: Orders on Rule 22 Request for Media Coverage SO FAR* On Feb. 11 and March 2, Ms. Craft's defense attorneys filed motions to have Superior Court Judge Brian House recuse himself from the case since he acted as the attorney for Ms. Craft's former husband in their 1998 divorce.* On March 4, Judge House issued a gag order on the trial after defendant Tonya Craft appeared on a television interview.
The large jury pool could be a reaction to potential bias in the jury pool with a well-known case such as Ms. Craft's, the staff member said.
Ms. Craft faces 22 counts of child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, aggravated child molestation and child molestation involving three children.
Neither the prosecution nor Ms. Craft's attorneys could comment on the case because of the gag order.
Roll call began at 9 a.m. Monday, but no jury was finalized by the end of the first day. Jury selection will continue today.
"Jury selection may be finished by (this) evening," Lt. Guffey said.
Only jurors were allowed in the courthouse under Judge House's order, and even members of the media were barred from entering during jury selection.
Judge House also barred cell phones and recorders from the courtroom.
Since Ms. Craft was charged on June 11, 2008, she has maintained her innocence. In a local television interview, she said she has lost her job, home and custody of her two children since the charges were filed.
Ms. Craft has many supporters who have vouched for her and several said they would be present at the trial after the jury was selected.
"I think it would be nice for her to see a friendly face in the crowd to feel like she has support," said Kellie Graham, an acquaintance of Ms. Craft's who also held a fundraiser to show support for her.
Continue reading by following these links to related stories:
Article: Child molestation cases stirring emotions
Article: Refusal to recuse stirs legal debate
Article: Attorney for Craft asks judge for recusal