Fourteen of the first 56 potential jurors in the trial for the man accused of killing D.C. intern Chandra Levy have been dismissed.
Those jurors in the trial of Ingmar Guandique in D.C. Superior Court were dismissed “for cause,” meaning they have strong biases or are otherwise incapable of serving on a jury for the duration of the case.
The jurors dismissed Monday morning cited reasons that included undergoing fertility treatments, a trip to New Orleans and having a nephew who was recently killed. Only one person was dismissed for saying she had “strong convictions” about the Levy case.
The 42 prospective jurors who were not dismissed after a preliminary questionnaire — which asked about scheduling, medical and moral concerns that could prevent someone from serving — were told to fill out a 55-question survey that asks jurors about the case’s publicity and their views on gangs, immigrants and Hispanics.
A second panel with 56 more potential jurors will receive the jury questionnaires Monday afternoon.
Twelve jurors and four alternates will be selected to serve for the trial, which is expected to last about four to five weeks. Guandique is accused of killing Levy in Rock Creek Park in May 2001.
