Murder trials a long way off, but preparations are starting

    Estimates vary, but it could be up to two years before Chase County’s first murder cases in a generation go to trial.
    But that doesn’t mean preparations aren’t already starting.
    The cases haven’t even been transferred from Chase County Court to Chase County District Court, as felonies are, but Clerk of District Court Debra Clark already is working to ensure there will be enough jurors to hear the cases.
    “I’m not concerned about finding jurors,” Clark said. “When we do a jury pool in Chase County, it’s done as a two-year pool; this should have been the second year of our pool. That means we’ve already used quite a few names out of it. I was concerned about not finding enough names.”
    Names for the jury pool are drawn from a list made up of voter registrations and drivers license registrations. That list is compiled by the state and sent to the local jurisdiction.
    In Chase County, Clark said, once a person has actually served as a juror — not just been called, but actually put on the jury — they are exempt from being called again for five years.
    There have been two jury trials in Chase County District Court this year and none in county court, Clark said.
    The size of the jury pool, the number of people called to make sure that 12 are chosen to serve, is up to the judge, she said.

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