Court filing says views on ‘potentially sensitive issues’ could affect ability to be impartial

Justine Damond shooting: prosecutors seek to question jurors about police use of force

Prosecutors handling the murder trial involving a former Minneapolis police officer accused of shooting dead the Australian life coach Justine Damond Ruszczyk want to question prospective jurors about “police use of force, race, and other potentially sensitive issues”.

In a filing to the district court in Minnesota, prosecutors pointed to “pervasive pretrial publicity” by Minneapolis and international news organisations. They hope to use a jury questionnaire and conduct individual questioning of potential jurors for the 1 April trial.

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“Prospective jurors’ opinions and experiences regarding police in general, police use of force, race, and other potentially sensitive issues could affect their ability to be fair and impartial in this case and it is necessary to explore that with the jurors in a manner that encourages honest and full disclosure,” the prosecutors’ court filing states.

The twin cities of Minneapolis and St Paul have a history of controversial police shootings and court cases involving officers.

Mohamed Noor, no longer a member of the Minneapolis police force, is accused of fatally shooting Damond Ruszczyk just before midnight on 15 July last year after she called police about a woman possibly being sexually assaulted near an alley behind her Minneapolis home.

When Damond Ruszczyk approached Noor’s patrol car he allegedly shot across his partner and fatally struck the Australian in the stomach.

The Somali-born Noor was charged with one count of murder in the third degree and manslaughter in the second degree.

Prosecutors argue that “in the interest of selecting fair and impartial jurors” they would like prospective jurors to complete a court-approved questionnaire and wish to question prospective jurors individually.