DADE CITY, Fla. — After years of delays, Monday marked the start of jury selection in the trial for Curtis Reeves, the retired Tampa police captain who shot and killed a man in a movie theater in 2014.
Before opening statements begin, attorneys are working to select a panel of jurors who will decide Reeves’ fate.
In this trial, only six jurors will be selected to serve. Cases often involve 12 jurors. So, why only six?
In the state of Florida, any capital case requires 12 jurors to be present. However, in most felony cases, only six jurors are required to try the case. Six jurors were selected during the George Zimmerman trial, leading to his acquittal on second-degree murder charges.
Curtis Reeves faces charges of second-degree murder and aggravated battery.
According to the American Psychological Association, the Constitution only requires that a body possesses “the essential feature of a jury.”
In Williams v. Florida (1970), the Supreme Court noted there is no meaningful difference between six- and 12-member juries’ effectiveness in group deliberation, insulating panel members from outside influences, and providing a fair representation of the community.
Research noted by the APA suggests 12-member juries are more likely than six-member juries to include members of a racial minority.
The court will typically select one to two alternate jurors in the event that any of the panel members cannot continue on the case. Florida’s laws for jury selection can be found here. However, in the case of Curtis Reeves, not one, not two, but four additional jurors will be selected as alternates.
The addition of four alternates was a decision made by Judge Susan Barthle after concerns of COVID-19 were brought up in a previous hearing. The increase in alternates will help ensure they will not run out of panel members if some were to become ill during the course of the trial.
Jury selection is expected to continue until mid-week, with opening statements starting toward the end of the week.