Jury selected for Limestone County Sheriff’s trial; court adjourned until Monday

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - UPDATE ( 12:15 p.m. on July 16): Court proceedings adjourned at noon on Friday.

After the jury was seated, opening statements were completed prior to the end of the session.

Court is scheduled to resume on Monday.

UPDATE: Shortly before 10 a.m. on Friday, the jury was finalized for the trial of Sheriff Mike Blakely.

The judge told the jurors who met at Athens High School, to head to the courthouse for the day’s proceedings. She said that’s where they will begin preliminary instructions, followed by opening statements.

WAFF’s Tiffany Thompson and Madison Scarpino will be in the courtroom today for opening statements.

ORIGINAL: Potential jurors are expected to head to Athens High School Friday morning for the wrap-up of jury selection.

About 102 of those potential jurors will be narrowed down to 12 with three additional alternates.

Thursday we saw more of the jury selection proceedings. It became clear many potential jurors who came in on Thursday know about this case. Quite a few of those potential jurors expressed fond feelings for Sheriff Mike Blakely.

Some of those people who had strong opinions of the sheriff stated they can remain impartial. Some potential jurors were excused because they felt that if they were chosen, they could not put aside their biases.

Sheriff Blakely is facing 11 charges with ten of those being felonies. He’s accused of stealing campaign donations, taking personal loans from Sheriff’s Office funds without paying interest, and soliciting money from sheriff’s office employees.

Opening statements are expected to start Friday at the courthouse after a jury is seated.

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