HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The fourth day of jury selection brought progress, as well as setbacks, in the trial of Kayvon Ward— the Garland County man charged with capital murder for the death of a Hot Springs police officer.
By the afternoon, the number of selected jurors went up to eight out of twelve.
Two potential jurors were called back on Wednesday afternoon due to social media interactions that the defense called into question.
Of those jurors, one was already set on the twelve and the other had already been dismissed.
In an effort to keep the identities of the jurors confidential, what they posted and where will be kept vague.
The defense presented printouts of Facebook comments and likes on a post related to the announcement of the death of Officer Brent Scrimshire, the victim in this case.
One juror left a comment on the post, while another liked a pro-death penalty comment.
The defense argued that they should be questioned again, as they told attorneys that they had formed no opinions and had no prior knowledge of the case while answering questions under oath.
After explaining themselves, both jurors didn't change— they were still in the same positions as before being called in.
Requests for comment to the prosecution and defense have been denied throughout this trial, as a gag order is still in place.
Jury selection is expected to continue Thursday morning.