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BOISE — Jury selection in the Lori Vallow Daybell trial ended on Friday with the final 18 jurors, including 12 jury members and six alternates.
On Friday morning around 10 a.m. a long list of jurors were excused, without any specific reason or explanation.
They were instructed that they could talk about their experience, but if they do not want to and people continue asking them to they should report it to the court.
Jurors who are in the final group were instructed not to discuss the case until they discuss it with fellow jurors when deliberation begins.
Judge Steven Boyce told them talking leads to decisions which should not happen until all of the evidence is heard, and they want the group working together on the decision. He also warned jury members not to use Google and to avoid dangerous hobbies while the trial is ongoing.
Thursday afternoon ended with a total of 45 jurors in the jury pool. The 18 individuals, including 10 men and eight women, who still remain in the jury will be sworn in as court officers on Monday morning.
"We look forward to seeing all of you Monday morning," the judge told the jurors.
Opening statements in the case begin Monday at 8:30 a.m. The trial is scheduled to last eight weeks with dozens of witnesses expected to testify and a massive amount of evidence.
Lori Vallow Daybell is charged with seven felonies. She and her husband, Chad Daybell, are accused of murdering her two children, J.J. Vallow and Tylee Ryan. She is also accused of conspiring to murder Daybell's late wife, Tammy Daybell.
On Thursday, the first and only group of jurors for the day — a total of 27 people — were brought in just before 1:45 p.m., but three failed to appear.
Twelve jurors were excused, including a man who said he lost his son several years ago and that the trial would be tough for him, and a woman who worked as an intern and participated in autopsies at the Ada County Coroner's Office.
Ten men, eight women will serve on the jury.
— Nate Eaton (@NateNewsNow) April 7, 2023
"We have some alternate jurors however you are all jurors and it's only after all evidence is submitted that we will determine who is an alternate."
— Nate Eaton (@NateNewsNow) April 7, 2023
Contributing: Madison Swenson, KSL
