Selecting the jury for Liz Carroll's trial

Jury selection gets under way in murder trial of foster mom
Kinney, Terry. Columbus Dispatch, Feb. 13, 2007, pg. D5.

BATAVIA, Ohio -- A woman charged with murder in the death of her developmentally disabled foster son sat quietly at the defense table yesterday as potential jurors were asked what they knew and thought about the accusations against her.

Prosecutors say Liz Carroll and her husband wrapped 3-year-old Marcus Fiesel in a blanket, bound him with packing tape, and left him in a closet this past August while they went out of town for the weekend, returning to find the boy dead.

The jury candidates were questioned closely about their knowledge of the case, heavily covered by news media in southwestern Ohio, and about whether they had formed opinions. Candidates repeatedly said they had read or watched accounts of the case. But most said they could put those aside.

"Can you keep an open mind and make up your mind on what you hear here?" Judge Robert Ringland repeatedly asked.

Jury selection is expected to resume this afternoon. The initial stage is focusing on pretrial publicity.

Carroll, 30, was brought into the Clermont County courtroom before prospective jurors entered.
Her husband, David Carroll Jr., also is charged with murder and is to be tried separately next month. Both are being held under $10.1 million bond.

Liz Carroll's attorney, Gregory Cohen, has asked that the trial be moved from southwestern Ohio.

Ringland has not ruled on that motion but could at any time if a jury cannot be seated.

Ten of the first 30 prospective jurors who were questioned were excused. Three were excused because they told Ringland they had strong opinions about the couple's guilt.

One woman said she could not be objective because her daughter has three foster children who were placed through the same agency that placed Marcus with the Carrolls.

The others were dismissed because of child-care concerns, other family situations, or financial hardship from missing work. Several who remained said they seldom read newspapers or watched newscasts.

Ringland told prospective jurors to stop reading newspapers, listening to news reports or researching the case on the Internet until the trial ends. He said the trial probably would take two weeks.

Liz Carroll and David Carroll, 29, have pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges including kidnapping and child endangerment. David Carroll, who is accused of burning the boy's body and dumping the remains in the Ohio River, also is charged with gross abuse of a corpse.

Liz Carroll acknowledged in grand jury testimony days after the child was reported missing that he had been left in the closet and died, but she said that she had no intention of hurting him.

The Carrolls also face trial on lesser charges, including perjury and inducing panic, in Hamilton County, where they told authorities Aug. 16 that Marcus wandered off or had been taken from a park during an outing.

Prosecutors have said the Carrolls' live-in companion, Amy Baker, provided information leading to the couple's indictments and is expected to testify at the trial.