CULPEPER, Va. -
Jury selection is now complete for the trial of a former policeman who is accused of murdering a motorist who pulled away from his questions.
In the normally quiet town of Culpeper, Va., gunfire broke out on Feb. 9, 2012. 54-year old Patricia Cook was shot to death inside her Jeep Wrangler, which subsequently crashed into a telephone pole.
Then- police officer Daniel Harmon-Wright (sometimes known as Daniel Sullivan) had fired multiple times, apparently, into the side, and then the rear of the woman's vehicle as she pulled away from his questions.
Defense attorney Daniel Hawes has suggested his client's fingers may have been trapped in the window of the woman's car as she pulled away.
The now-fired policeman is on trial for murdering the motorist. In the courtroom, he is attentive and serious.
Because local law enforcement is involved, the prosecutor has been brought in from an adjoining county.
Attorneys (plus the judge) spent the day picking a jury of 12 people, with three alternates also selected.
Among the questions asked to potential jurors: Do you have strong feelings about guns? Citizens in the pool responded both ways – pro-gun and anti-gun. All said they could set aside their feelings about weapons.
There was extensive questioning about exposure to media coverage of the shooting. One prospective juror said TV reports were so frequent, her fiancée started reaching for the remote.
Attorneys from both sides will outline their respective cases during opening statements on Wednesday.
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54-Year-Old Woman Patricia Cook Killed in Police Shooting in Culpeper
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Husband of Culpeper woman, Patricia Cook, found dead in apartment
Daniel Harmon-Wright (center)
Daniel Harmon-Wright
Daniel Harmon-Wright
Patricia Cook
