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Kerrick Trial - Day 8 - July 29

What to know:

  • Randall "Wes" Kerrick is accused of shooting and killing unarmed Jonathan Ferrell in September 2013.
  • The first witness could take the stand before the week is over.
  • Dash cam video will be released during the trial.

Trial Archive:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Officer Randall "Wes" Kerrick is charged with voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of unarmed black man Jonathan Ferrell.

Update at 4:52 p.m.: Opening statements are set for Monday morning in the trial of CMPD officer Randall "Wes" Kerrick.

Judge Robert Ervin announced the start of the trial’s testimony minutes after attorneys settled on the fourth and final alternate juror in the case.

Attorneys selected all four alternates Wednesday after failing to agree on any Tuesday.

The alternates include three women and one man, and all are white.

They will only step in to deliberate if one or more of the other 12 jurors cannot finish the trial, but attorney Rob Corbett, a former prosecutor, said attorneys on both sides are as careful in choosing alternates as regular jurors.

https://twitter.com/MarkBeckerWSOC9/status/626484918307155968

You still want to take your time because you know there's a strong chance that person could sit on the jury,” Corbett said.

The importance of alternates could be even more obvious in this case that is expected to last at least a month. Once testimony begins, Corbett said that means the alternates are in for the long haul.

“Even at the conclusion of the trial after closing arguments they may not be released immediately.  They may still be sequestered until a certain point where everyone feels comfortable that everyone's going to be able to deliberate and reach a verdict,” Corbett said.

The judge set Thursday morning for hearings on several motions in the case — including the question of cameras in the trial. He is giving attorneys Friday to prepare and contact witnesses who will testify.

Update at 4:12 p.m.: The judge in the Kerrick trial said opening statements will start Monday morning.

Legal issues, including if cameras will be allowed in the courtroom, will be discussed Thursday. Lawyers will be able to coordinate witnesses Friday.

Update at 4:04 p.m.: The fourth and final alternate was chosen Wednesday afternoon.

https://twitter.com/MarkBeckerWSOC9/status/626483410190606336

Follow Mark Becker on Twitter for updates.

Update at 3 p.m.: Attorneys selected three alternate jurors Wednesday on day eight of jury selection in the trial. One alternate is a white woman who is an administrative assistant, another is a white man who does mission work. He would be the first person to fill in if one of the jurors cannot serve. The third alternate juror, a white woman who is a church secretary, was chosen at about 3 p.m. Wednesday. Attorneys still need to select one more alternate juror.

On Tuesday, the 12 people who will decide if Kerrick was justified for shooting and killing Jonathan Ferrell were officially seated.

On Tuesday night, Ferrell's family expressed concern about receiving a fair trial -- before opening statements have even begun. They believe there aren't enough African Americans on the jury.

The jury consists of seven whites, three African Americans and two Hispanics.

Census figures show that Mecklenburg County's population is 49 percent white and 32 percent black. The jury will be 58 percent white and 25 percent black.

There is one African American male juror, which civil rights activists expressed relief over.

“We definitely need someone who looks like Jonathan Ferrell (on the jury),” said activist John Barnette.

But Ferrell’s family says it's not enough.

  • CLICK PLAY -- Georgia Ferrell speaks about the trial at church:

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“We are not going to get a fair trial in North Carolina. It's already been shown to us. We are not getting a fair trial. We need to not just vote but be willing to serve as a juror,” said Georgia Ferrell, Jonathan’s mother.

Legal experts said there were jurors who were not picked because of admitted biases.

If the alternates are chosen Wednesday, opening statements could start as early as Thursday.

Randall "Wes" Kerrick is accused of shooting and killing unarmed Jonathan Ferrell on Sept. 14, 2013.

Three officers were called to the 7500 block of Reedy Creek Road in east Mecklenburg County around 2:30 that morning. A woman told police Ferrell was banging on her front door.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said Ferrell ran toward the officers when they arrived. One of the officers deployed his Taser, but it was unsuccessful. Kerrick fired his weapon 12 times at close range. Ten of the shots hit Ferrell, killing him.

Police later discovered a wrecked car that Ferrell was driving about 500 yards away. Officers say Ferrell was unarmed.

Around 9:30 p.m. Sept. 14, 2013, Kerrick was charged with voluntary manslaughter, marking the first time an officer in Charlotte had been charged with manslaughter for actions on duty.

Kerrick was released from jail on a $50,000 bond. He remains suspended without pay from CMPD.

Ferrell, a former football player at Florida A&M University, was living in Charlotte with his fiancée. A toxicology report released in November showed Ferrell had 60 mg/dl of ethanol in his system, equal to a .06 if blown during a DWI check point. The legal limit in North Carolina is .08.

The Ferrell family filed a civil suit against the city, county, CMPD and former Police Chief Rodney Monroe on Jan. 14, 2014. The suit was settled in May 2015 for $2.25 million.

George Laughrun and Michael J. Greene will represent Kerrick. His attorneys were hired by the Fraternal Order of Police.

Recent stories:

Channel 9 will have a team of reporters covering the Kerrick trial each day. Follow @wsoctv on Twitter for continuous updates.

Twitter handles for reporters who will be covering the trial:

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