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Defense Says Jury Pool Filled With 'Viciousness' Towards Lori Drew

 LOS ANGELES — The pool of potential jurors assembled for the trial of Lori Drew is tainted by a deep animus for the 49-year-old Missouri woman accused of helping drive a 13-year-old girl to suicide, Drew's defense attorney said Tuesday.

After reviewing answers to questionnaires filled out by 75 jury candidates Tuesday afternoon, defense attorney H. Dean Steward found that 80 percent of the panel had previously heard of the case, and 50 percent held "devastating opinions" of his client, Steward told U.S. District Judge George Wu.

"The viciousness that comes out in this is stunning," said Steward.

The 17-question form, given to potential jurors as the first step in a screening process, includes this query: "You will hear evidence in the case about the suicide of  a 13-year-old girl. Can you put aside any sympathy, pity or sadness you may feel as a result of this evidence, and fairly and objectively evaluate it, along with the other evidence in this case?"

 

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Thanks to Anne Reed of Deliberations for the head's up (follow her @annereed)