UM Grace Case

After kicking things off early this morning in the case of U.S. v. WR Grace, Judge Donald Molloy continued the voir dire process well into the early evening – questioning the tired and yawning pool of potential jurors about a number of specific topics.

Following a nearly one-hour recess to meet with counsel, Molloy returned to the court room around 4 p.m. and dismissed six jurors to behind the rail, bringing forward six more from the pool.

Molloy then proceeded, asking each of the six jurors the routine series of questions heard throughout the day regarding everything from job history to whether or not each has read or followed the news of the case, specifically the recent series of articles published in the Missoulian.

Many admitted to having followed the media coverage but promised to do their best at remaining objective. Throughout the afternoon, many jurors, if not all, continued to voice concerns about the low stipend each would receive if selected for jury duty.

“Forty dollars a day doesn’t pay a lot of bills,” one juror told Molloy. Molloy agreed. “I understand that and it is something that needs to be addressed by the Congress,” Molloy said. “I wish I could get it up to where it belongs.”

Juror 393, a self-proclaimed environmentalist who once belonged to the Sierra Club, spoke clearly about his animosity toward Grace case. He told Molloy about a co-worker of his whose father worked in the Libby mine and died of lung cancer. After a short meeting with counsel, Molloy told juror 393 to have a seat behind the rail, bringing up another for questioning.

Molloy ended the nine-hour day by explaining to the jurors the right of peremptory challenges,  scheduled to take place tomorrow.

“We will have the peremptories exercised at that time and then chose the (3) alternate jurors,” he said. Molloy finished by reminding the jurors not to discuss anything about the case outside the courtroom. The court will reconvene at 9 a.m. Friday.

– Chris D’Angelo