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Jury in Hastings trial seated
The jury has been seated in the trial of Josh Hastings, the former Little Rock Police Department officer charged with manslaughter for the August 2012 shooting death of a 15-year-old boy during a burglary call at a West Little Rock apartment complex.
Hastings shot Bobby Moore, Jr. as Moore and two other teens attempted to flee in a Honda Civic from the parking lot of the Shadow Lake Apartments complex at 13111 W. Markham, where Hastings had been dispatched to investigate a car burglary.
Hastings told investigators he fired because the car was speeding to him and he feared for his life, but further investigation produced discrepancies between Hastings' account and the evidence.
David Koon reports that nine women and three men make up the jury. Opening statements are scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday.
After the jury was dismissed, Judge Wendell Griffen reveresed his ruling from yesterday that attorneys wouldn't be allowed to cross examine the two juveniles who were in the car with Moore when he was killed regarding the fact that they were on probation at the time. Griffen said attorneys can cross examine the witnesses on their probation, but can only refer to their probation to challenge credibility and on issues of "bias or motive." He said attorneys can't use their probation to establish state of mind at the time of the shooting or establish character. Why the juveniles were on probation or prior offenses they may have been convicted of are off limites too, Griffen said.
Opening arguments were thought to be starting this afternoon, but the trial was slowed when chief deputy prosecutor John Johnson requested striking one of the jurors after he'd been selected during the alternate selection. Koon reports that victim Bobby Moore's father approached the Victim Witness Coordinator and told her that one of the jurors and his brother worked with him for the city of Little Rock. Moore's father claimed that the juror's brother had made racially charged statements. After recessing to deliberate on whether a juror could be struck after being chosen but before being sworn, Griffen allowed lawyers to question the juror to determine if he should be struck. The juror denied knowing Moore's relatives. He was dismissed.
Griffen said he didn't dismiss him for cause, explaining that just because relatives might say things that are "intolerant and abhorrent," doesn't mean a relative holds those views. Griffen said he allowed Johnson to exercise the last of his preemptory challenges. Defense attorney Bill James objected to the juror's dismissal.
Arkansas Politics
Curry: Darr's Mayflower comments are "shameful" and "wrong"
Little Rock School Board member Dianne Curry, who is running for lieutenant governor, said that current Lieutenant Governor Mark Darr was "using the misery of the people, the residents of Mayflower, Arkansas, to garner feel good press." Darr made comments, reported by KUAR, that "as far as the clean-up goes it looks like that's been pretty well taken care of" and "they've kind of made this area even better than it was before."
"It's shameful, it's wrong, and it's what is wrong with politics," Curry said. Her press release is after the jump.
*Reading Curry's release, a point of clarification: the image of Mark Darr used in the post earlier today is a file photo. I didn't choose it, but I apologize if it caused confusion: none of the folks in the picture were with Darr when he made his Mayflower comments.
Rock Candy
TV
June 19 episode of SyFy's 'Ghost Hunters' set in Little Rock
"Whoa! What was that?"
"What was what?"
"That! Do you hear it? It sounds like... An episode of SyFy's hit series "Ghost Hunters."
"You mean, here in Little Rock?"
"Exactly, I'm getting a reading that tells me the upcoming new episode on Wednesday, June 19 will include a ghost-hunting expedition to a home once owned by prominent early 20th century banker Edward Cornish."
"Whoa."
"Yes, it airs at 8 p.m. and it's called "Ghost Friends Forever."
"Spooky. What else can you tell me?"
"Well, here goes...
On this episode of Ghost Hunters, TAPS is called to Little Rock, Arkansas where a family has inherited a bungalow next door to their home that they believe to be cursed. The bungalow has a tragic history of death, robberies and murder dating back to the 1800s. Paranormal activity has been terrifying their bungalow tenants for years and now activity seems to have spread over to the family’s main house. Have the bungalow spirits traveled next door to the family’s home? Are the family’s deceased close friends, who willed the bungalow to them, to blame for this activity? TAPS is being brought in to get answers for this family in desperate need of answers.
"So where can I watch a very brief preview for this episode?"
"After the jump!"
What's going on
Monday: Bob Dorough at The Afterthought
Jazz legend and "Schoolhouse Rock!" composer Bob Dorough will perform at The Afterthought, 8 p.m., $5.
Music / Contests
Win a pair of tickets to see Johnny Winter at Juanita's
Hey there, how about this: you and a buddy get to go see Johnny Winter June 21 at Juanita's PLUS get to go to the meet-n-greet before the show and maybe get your picture made with the blues guitar legend. Sound cool? Well your old pals here at the Times are going to be giving away just such a prize.
All you need to do is send an email to robertbell at arktimes dot com with JOHNNY WINTER in the subject line. Send it in by noon on June 19. I'll draw names later that afternoon and announce the winner here on Rock Candy.
Good luck!
Cover Story
Will Dawna Natzke's killer ever be brought to justice?
Event Calendar
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Re: Open line
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Re: Open line
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