By SHANE FARLEY
Jury selection is set to begin next week in the trial of Marty Anderson Jr., a local man facing multiple sex crime counts and an attempted murder charge.
Roughly 80 jury summonses have been issued for Thursday and Friday. That pool will be divided into groups for jury interviews, as a COVID-19 precaution, Cowley County Attorney Larry Schwartz said.
Jurors will be questioned by prosecuting and defense attorneys Thursday or Friday and opening arguments are expected to begin the following Monday. Masks will be required in the courtroom and jurors will be spaced out to ensure social distancing.
Twelve jurors and two alternates will be chosen to serve on the jury. Gallery space for court spectators is also limited.
Two cases against Mr. Anderson have been consolidated for trial.
In one case, he is accused of shooting and injuring his wife, Elizabeth Anderson, at their home northwest of Rock in Cowley County in November 2018.
Anderson
Anderson is represented by attorney Mike Brown. The case will heard in the Winfield courtroom of Judge Nick St. Peter at the Cowley County Courthouse.
Last summer proceedings in this case were delayed so that Anderson Jr. could undergo a mental health evaluation to determine if he was competent to stand trial.
St. Peter had reviewed a report from Larned State Hospital before finding Anderson Jr. competent.
On the day of the shooting, Anderson’s two step-daughters were allegedly bound and held hostage inside the home before they were able to escape and were removed from the area by law enforcement.
Anderson had been arrested, not long before the shooting incident, and was on bond for allegations of rape, criminal sodomy, aggravated indecent liberties with a child and contributing to a child’s misconduct. The two cases will be tried in front of, and decided by, the same jury.
Anderson remains in the county jail.
