A judge has placed limits on the graphic photographs prosecutors can use in their opening statements in the trial of a woman accused of killing her co-worker at an upscale Bethesda yoga store. Jury selection is scheduled to finish Wednesday in the trial of Brittany Norwood, who prosecutors say brutally beat 30-year-old Jayna Murray to death in March at the Lululemon Athletica where they both worked, then pretended to be a victim to cover up the slaying.
Opening statements will occur after the 12 jurors and five alternates are chosen from a final panel of 65 prospective jurors, and will give a preview of what is expected to be at times a gruesome trial.
Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said in court Tuesday that six to eight weapons were used to bludgeon Murray to death and the weapons left “absolutely obvious, telltale signs.”
But the jury will not see many of the grisly images until later in the trial, which is expected to last eight to 10 days in Montgomery County Circuit Court.
Defense attorney Douglas Wood argued that prosecutors should not be able to display several photographs of the crime scene and from Murray’s autopsy during opening statements.
He said the photographs could be admitted as evidence when the medical examiner and investigators testify, and that showing them right away would prejudice the jury.
Judge Robert Greenberg partially agreed, ruling Tuesday that prosecutors can show full-body photographs of Norwood and Murray as detectives found them and an image of one of Murray’s head wounds.
But other photographs, Greenberg said, would be too prejudicial if the jury saw them during opening statements. Those images included another skull wound and a rope burn on Murray’s chin from what prosecutors say was an attempted strangulation.
Greenberg said he was concerned that, after seeing the graphic photographs, jurors would not “listen to anything else.”
The case’s notoriety prolonged jury selection, which began Monday. A pool of 300 potential jurors was called, and the first 149 were questioned. That group was narrowed to 65 late Wednesday afternoon.
All but 18 jurors questioned said they had heard of the slaying. Of those 18, 11 are on the final panel.
