The jury has not yet been selected for the trial of state Sen. Don Balfour, but already there have been some odd turns.
Balfour, R-Snellville, faces 18 felony counts related to expense reports he filed with the General Assembly over a period of years. The longtime lawmaker is accused of intentionally taking reimbursement for expenses to which he was not entitled.
Defense attorney William Hill Jr. questioned potential jurors on their willingness to be impartial in judging Balfour. The questions included whether any of the jurors worked more than 60 hours a week or whether they believed attention deficit disorder is a real disorder or if it is “grossly over-diagnosed.”
The question offers another glimpse into the defense’s strategy that they will claim Balfour’s submission of bogus reimbursement claims was an honest mistake, perhaps the result of a medical condition, and not an attempt to defraud taxpayers.
Hill also asked jurors if they considered themselves members of the tea party or believed public officials waste taxpayer money.
Jury selection began Monday morning in the Fulton County Courthouse in the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Henry Newkirk. Even before jurors could be led in, Newkirk was flustered by the arrival of a brown paper gift bag, which his administrator said came from the district attorney’s office.
“No gifts on the bench,” Newkirk said, waving it away as his face flushed crimson.
Speaking to the assembled media, Newkirk laughed and said, “I don’t know anything about that.
“Good gosh,” he said, still chuckling. “That’s got to be a set up.”
Later in the day, Newkirk explained the gift was a small cake from an assistant district attorney. He read the card aloud for the assembled media and said he was sending it back.
Another surprise came when the potential jurors filed in, one of whom was recognized as Jeremy Collins, who is listed on the state Senate website as chief of staff of Senate President Pro Tem David Shafer.
Newkirk told the jurors the trial should last two or three days. Keeping to that timetable will depend on how quickly a jury is selected.
Georgia Assistant Attorney General David McLaughlin opened questioning of jurors by asking whether they had ever filed an expense report or been responsible for approving one. He also probed how much they knew about the case.
Hill also asked jurors if they would have trouble taking the word of an elected official. Only one potential juror raised his hand.
If convicted, Balfour could face up to 10 years in prison and thousands in fines. He also would lose his seat in the Senate.
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