BOISE, Idaho — The court has finally reached their goal of 42 potential jurors in the murder trial against Lori Vallow Daybell.
The court aims to get to a pool of 42 potential jurors in order to begin "striking" -- which will narrow down their pool to 12 jurors and six alternates, who will be the final jurors overseeing the trial. This will take place Friday.
The current selection process is known as "voir dire," in order to eliminate jurors who have biases that could skew the fairness of the trial.
Fremont County Judge Steven Boyce also required "extra" potential jurors in addition to 42, just in case there are no-shows.
Vallow is charged with murder, conspiracy and grand theft related to the deaths of her two children, Joshua "JJ" Vallow and Tylee Ryan, and her husband's late wife, Tammy Daybell, in eastern Idaho. Her husband Chad Daybell is also charged in the murders and will be tried separately in Ada County at a date still to be determined. Prosecutors were previously seeking the death penalty against Vallow Daybell but it was later taken off the table by a judge as a way to sanction the prosecution for late discovery disclosure.
The defense and prosecution began on Thursday afternoon with 39 jurors they have gained throughout the course of the week. It took a panel of 24 jurors, a much larger group, for them to pass the remaining three people the court needed.
Opening statements begin Monday at the Ada County Courthouse.