The Georgia Supreme Court said late Monday jury selection can resume in the death penalty trial of admitted cop killer Jamie Hood.
The decision was released just a few hours after the high court put jury selection on hold to allow time for the justices to consider issues over the decision to choose jurors from Elbert County who would hear the case in Athens.
The justices did not explain the reason for overriding an order issued just hours earlier.
Judge Patrick Haggard had approved Hood’s request for a change in venue because of publicity around the 2011 shooting death of Athens-Clarke County police officer Elmer “Buddy” Christian and the wounding of officer Tony Howard. Haggard decided jurors would be selected from Elbert County, two counties over and on the South Carolina line. Once seated they would be brought to Athens to sequestered for the duration of the case.
Hood, who is representing himself, asked for the change in venue. The prosecution, however, asked the Georgia Supreme Court to step in after the district attorney asked at least three times that Haggard reconsider his choice of Elbert County because they had been unable to find people who did not already have strong opinions on the case.
The first order issued Monday said the high court was issuing the temporary stay of jury selection so it could consider the prosecution’s motion to reverse Haggard’s decision. District Attorney also wants the high court to review Haggard’s decision to add to the jury pool that was initially called as well as “unconstitutional gag orders,” including one prohibiting the media from reporting on jury selection proceedings and one prohibiting reporting on the reasons District Attorney Ken Mauldin wanted the judge to reconsider his choice of Elbert County.
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