Jury trials stymied during COVID pandemic resume

After more than a year’s wait because of COVID-19, jury trials have resumed in 3rd Judicial District Court.

Jury selection entered its second day Tuesday in the felony trial of Undrio Cheffin, of Ruston. Cheffin is charged with aggravated flight from an officer and possession of methamphetamine stemming from an incident that took place in late November of 2018.

Cheffin’s is the first local jury trial here since the second-degree murder trial of Frank “Red” Stringfellow in November 2019.

Because of COVID, the Louisiana Supreme Court placed a moratorium on jury trials in early 2020. The moratorium expired on March 31 of this year.

Prosecutors had intended to try Cheffin last month, but one of his attorneys was exposed to COVID, First Assistant 3rd Judicial District Attorney Laurie James said.

She said trying the case now seemed doable.

“It looked manageable — as manageable as something can be during this time of COVID,” James said.

In an effort to be as safe as possible, once potential jurors checked in at the courtroom, they were allowed to go home or wait elsewhere until called. Customarily, all of the potential jurors — generally more than 100 people — wait seated in the courtroom.

They’re narrowed down to panels of 36, and ultimately, in felony cases like Cheffin’s, to 12 jurors and two alternates.

Third Judicial District Judge Bruce Hampton, who will preside over Cheffin’s trial, said the potential jurors selected for the 36-member panels had their temperatures checked and wore face coverings.

He said once the final jury is seated, he expects to see them more spread out than usual.