Jury selection begins in trial of man accused of killing 5 people at Maryland newspaper

[TexasTowelie]

A Maryland judge carefully focused on asking potential jurors Wednesday whether they believed they could be fair and impartial in weighing the plea of guilty but not criminally responsible by a man who killed five people at the Capital Gazette newspaper nearly three years ago.

Judge Michael Wachs said his goal was to have a jury empaneled on Friday in the high-profile case that traumatized the community in Maryland's state capital.

The judge emphasized that Jarrod Ramos already pleaded guilty to all 23 counts against him in 2019, but he has pleaded not criminally responsible due to his mental health.

Jurors in the second phase of his trial will be asked to determine whether Ramos lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct in a case that will be based largely on testimony from mental health experts.

Read more: https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2021/06/23/jury-selection-begins-maryland-newspaper-shooting-trial/5326188001/

[elleng]

1. Interesting, imo, that a jury decides

whether Ramos lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct.