Community Corner

UPDATE: Jury Selection Continues in Lululemon Trial

Woman accused of killing co-worker at Lululemon will face a jury trial this week.

Update, 4:55 p.m.: Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Robert Greenberg has excused the first group of potential jurors for the day, with instructions to return Tuesday morning.

Update, 3:53 p.m.: Individual interviews for the first group of just under 150 potential jurors are underway at Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville.

Those who responded in the affirmative to a series of questions asked to the group this morning and afternoon — the majority of the potential jurors — are being interviewed in more detail privately about their responses.

Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Questioning may not begin for the next group of about 150 until Tuesday morning, according to a county State's Attorney spokesman.

The remainder of the jury selection process may take the majority of the day Tuesday. Opening statements may begin Tuesday afternoon, but the statements could begin as late as Wednesday.

Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

12 jurors and five alternates are expected to be selected.

Update, 1:54: The process to select the jury that will decide the guilt or innocence of Brittany Norwood, the woman accused of killing her co-worker at Bethesda's Lululemon shop in March, will likely be "very difficult and very time consuming," Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Robert Greenberg said Monday.

Norwood faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. She does not face the death penalty.

Jury selection began Monday morning and was continuing Monday afternoon, and was expected to extend into Tuesday. Identified only by numbers, 149 prospective jurors were asked a series of questions about their ability to serve as impartial jurors by Greenberg.

Among the questions was whether any of the potential jurors had heard of or read news reports about the March killing at Lululemon — 18 said they had not.

The case has been intensely covered by the media, and Greenberg instructed the potential jurors not to read newspapers, check the Internet, watch television or listen to the radio during the jury selection process.

A pool of about 300 potential jurors is being considered in two groups. More detailed interviews with the majority of the potential jurors are expected to take place in private chambers.

Greenberg was continuing to question the first group of potential jurors Monday afternoon.

Monday morning, wearing a beige collared shirt, Norwood stood before the courtroom as Greenberg asked if anyone knew her personally. No one did.

Greenberg also asked potential jurors as to whether or not they had an opinion of Norwood's guilt or innocence. Thirty-nine said they had; 16 jurors said they had shopped at the Bethesda Lululemon store, and three said they knew employees there.

Jurors were also questioned as to whether they knew Greenberg, prosecutors or defense lawyers, and a series of people who may testify or be named in the case.

This post has been updated.

Original Post: The trial for Brittany Norwood, the 29-year-old woman Jayna Murray at Bethesda’s Lululemon store in March, will begin Monday.

The trial is set for Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville. It’s expected to last eight days.

Norwood is charged with killing Murray, 30, after prosecutors said Murray discovered Norwood attempting to steal yoga pants from the shop. Police and prosecutors said Norwood lied and elaborately staged the crime scene to make it appear as though the women had been attacked by two men.

The high-profile case shocked the community and has received extensive media coverage.

Jury selection is expected to begin Monday, and it’s unclear how long the process could take. Opening statements, which may begin Tuesday, will follow the conclusion of jury selection. The Washington Post is reporting that 12 jurors and alternates will be selected from a pool of about 300.

Norwood has entered a plea of not guilty. Her defense team has explored a “not criminally responsible” defense — Maryland’s version of an insanity defense — but by a judge-appointed deadline.


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