HOERIG TRIAL | 39 potential jurors identified

5:11 p.m.

WARREN — A sufficient number of potential jurors has been generated in the Claudia Hoerig aggravated murder case to allow for general jury selection Tuesday, making it likely opening statements and testimony will begin early Wednesday.

After a day of hearing from potential jurors about what they know about the case, 39 potential jurors were identified. Twelve jurors and four alternates are expected to decide the case.

About two-thirds of potential jurors interviewed Monday knew about the case because of news coverage. But most were allowed to remain as potential jurors after agreeing they could “set aside” the coverage and judge Hoerig’s guilt or innocence based only on testimony from the witness stand.

Four of the 15 potential jurors interviewed Monday morning were dismissed from the jury pool because of pretrial publicity and their statements about that publicity.

Jurors are expected to board a bus late Tuesday or early Wednesday to view the Newton Falls home where Hoerig is accused of killing her husband, Maj. Karl Hoerig, March 12, 2007.

She is also accused of fleeing to her native Brazil after her husband’s death, where she remained for about 11 years until almost exactly one year ago, when the Brazilian government allowed U.S. officials to fly her back to Ohio.

Claudia Hoerig is charged with aggravated murder in her husband’s death. If convicted, she could get life in prison without the possibility of parole or life in prison with parole eligibility after 20, 25 or 30 years.

1:01 p.m.

WARREN — Four of the first 15 potential jurors questioned individually today before lunch were dismissed from the case because they said or seemed unable to set aside what they had seen or read about the Claudia Hoerig aggravated murder case.

Each potential juror was questioned in the courtroom of Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court with no other potential jurors in the courtroom.

Judge Logan and the attorneys for the prosecution and defense questioned the potential witness about whether they had expressed an opinion about the case or whether anything about what they read in the news caused them to form an opinion about Hoerig's guilt or innocence.

The judge and attorneys repeatedly advised the potential witness that having read or seen news about the case would not disqualify them from serving on the jury as long as they were able to "set aside" that information and have a "blank slate" that would allow them to make a decision on her guilt or innocence only based on evidence that would be presented at the trial.

Two potential jurors said they were aware that Hoerig had left the United States and gone back to Brazil after her husband's murder. One said it "raises concern" to know that. Another said knowing that "caused suspicion," but both men were allowed to remain in the potential jury pool.

A later phase of jury selection will involve talking to the already questioned potential jurors and others who know nothing about the case in group setting called "general voir dire," where the potential jurors are questioned as a group and the two sides are allowed to dismiss a certain number of jurors "without cause," meaning without having to explain a reason why.

The first potential witness questioned today was dismissed because she said she had formed an opinion about Hoerig's guilt or innocence, but the next four all said the coverage they received had not caused them to form an opinion, and those four were kept in the potential jury pool.

10:50 a.m.

WARREN — The first potential witness questioned individually about what she knew about the Claudia Hoerig aggravated murder case was dismissed because of of forming an opinion about Hoerig's guilt or innocence.

However, the next four all said the coverage they received had not caused them to form an opinion. They were all kept as potential jurors.

About 50 of 70 potential jurors called for the case indicated they had heard about it. That is the group being questioned individually.

The first person questioned said she could set aside what she knew but later told Dennis Watkins, Trumbull County prosecutor, she would "have a hard time" setting aside what she heard or read. After questioning by the defense, she was dismissed from the case.

About 75 people were called as witnesses, but about five were dismissed because of specific reasons not related to news coverage and about 20 indicated they don't know anything about the case.

The other potential jurors are in other room separate from the questioning in front of Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to wait their turn.

10:13 a.m.

WARREN — About 50 of 70 potential jurors called for the Claudia Hoerig aggravated murder trial indicated they have heard about the case. Some of them are now about to be questioned individually about their knowledge of the case.

The first person questioned said she reads the newspaper and watches the news and feels there has been a lot of coverage of the case, especially recently. The judge told her the information she received in news is not evidence and asked her whether she can set aside what she heard or read and still be fair to Hoerig.

She said she could set that aside and be fair to Claudia Hoerig.

Under questioning by Dennis Watkins, Trumbull County prosecutor, she told him "I would have a hard time" setting aside what she heard or read about the case in the news media.

After questioning by the defense, she was dismissed from the case.

About 75 people were called as witnesses, but about five were dismissed because of specific reasons not related to news coverage and about 20 indicated they don't know anything about the case.

The other potential jurors are in other room separate from the questioning in front of Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to wait their turn.

Hoerig, 54, a Brazilian native, is charged with killing her husband, Maj. Karl Hoerig March 12, 2007, in their Ninth Street home in Newton Falls and fleeing to native Brazil, where she remained for 11 years until almost exactly one year ago, when she was flown back to the United States, interviewed and placed in a county jail cell.

The process of questioning jurors individually is an attempt to negate the effect of pretrial publicity by asking jurors what they know about the case from news coverage, social media or personal connections.

9:36 a.m.

WARREN — Individual questioning of 75 potential jurors will begin this morning in the Claudia Hoerig aggravated murder case with one potential juror at a time taking a seat in the witness seat and answering questions about what he or she knows about the case.

The attorneys and family of Karl Hoerig have been in the courtroom, along with about eight journalists, since 8:30 a.m. Hoerig came into the courtroom just after 9 a.m. dressed in civilian clothes and took her seat at the defense table next to lead defense attorney John Cornely.

When questioning begins, the other potential jurors will remain outside of the courtroom of Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to wait their turn.

Hoerig, 54, a Brazilian native, is charged with killing her husband, Maj. Karl Hoerig March 12, 2007, in their Ninth Street home in Newton Falls and fleeing to native Brazil, where she remained for 11 years until almost exactly one year ago, when she was flown back to the United States, interviewed and placed in a county jail cell.

The process of questioning jurors individually is an attempt to negate the effect of pretrial publicity by asking jurors what they know about the case from news coverage, social media or personal connections. Some who have knowledge about the case will be excused.

Judge Logan and the attorneys for the prosecution and defense are expected to talk to potential jurors who indicate they know something about the case first. Some of those potential jurors are likely to be dismissed from the case. Later, the attorneys and Judge Logan will conduct general jury selection, known as voir dire.

That phase is usually done with all of the potential jurors in the courtroom together so that each can get the same instructions on the information they are are going to be asked to provide.

By about Tuesday afternoon, Judge Logan is hoping to have seated 12 jurors and four alternates to hear the case, which is expected to last about two weeks. If convicted, her penalty could be as much as life in prison without any chance at parole.

Claudia Hoerig is accused of shooting her husband three times. Prosecutors say Karl Hoerig was planning to leave her the day of the killing. They say Karl Joerig told a fellow pilot he expected things to go badly when he told her.

Claudia Hoerig told investigators who interviewed her the day she returned to the United States that Karl Hoerig was abusive toward her.