PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - A judge has barred news media and the public from jury selection in the trial of two men accused of killing 5 people, including a pregnant woman, at a Wilkinsburg cookout in 2016.
Judge Edward Borkowski has also banned photographs or videos of defendants, witnesses and prospective or seated jurors.
Two jurors were seated Monday.
A gag order was issued in the case against 32-year-old Cheron Shelton and 31-year-old Robert Thomas in 2017.
Local Attorney Blaine Jones tells Lynne Hayes-Freeland why protecting jurors is so important in the homicide trial for two men charged with killing five people and unborn child is so important.
“There are allegations that one of the jurors had their information disseminated I guess some personal information, and if a juror’s privacy has been compromised, will that juror be afraid to make a decision one way or the other,” said Jones.
Jones adds that one of Judge Borkowski's jobs is to make sure the jury is not influenced anyone outside of the trial.
“The job of any judge presiding over a trial is to make sure that a jury is not adversely affected by any outside sources,” said Jones.