Kwame Kilpatrick federal trial jury selection begins Thursday

Jury selection begins Thursday for federal trial against former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, 3 others

DETROIT – It all begins Thursday.

The next phase will begin in the ongoing legal drama surrounding former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and three others who are facing federal charges.

On Thursday morning, jury selection will get underway. The goal is to get 66 prospective jurors qualified for the trial. The selection will be made by extensively questioning each potential juror.

Watch: What to expect Thursday in Kilpatrick trial

Both the prosecutors and the defense team will have opportunities to question each person.

The defense team is working to seat an ethnically diverse jury. They want men and women who will not judge Kilpatrick because of his criminal past and who can look past the text messaging scandal to hear the facts of this case.

View: Special section for Kwame Kilpatrick's federal trial

The prosecution also is looking for those who do not have a connection to Kilpatrick or Detroit city politics but who also can work to hear all the information, understand it and take the time needed to make an informed decision.

The process is expected to be a lengthy one. Whittling the prospective jurors down will take time and patience. However, Judge Nancy Edmons has clearly laid out all the rules.

The question is: How long will it take to seat this jury?


About the Author:

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.