A jury has been selected for the DUI manslaughter trial of a Paisley man. Here’s what we know:
State v. Justin Jacob Cobb
Judge: Circuit Judge Steven Rogers.
Lawyers: Assistant State Attorneys Adam Smith and Robert Bullara and defense attorneys Mark O’Mara and Brittany Staggs. O’Mara is known for successfully defending George Zimmerman in the 2012 fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin.
Charges: DUI manslaughter and two counts of DUI with serious bodily injuries.
About the case: Cobb is accused of being behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Tahoe that Florida Highway Patrol troopers said crossed the double yellow lines and hit a Ford Edge along County Road 42 near Southeast 203rd Avenue in June 2022.
Elfriede Meyer of The Villages was killed in the crash. She was 75. Two other women in the vehicle, Karin Meier and Kimberly Crothamel, were injured.
FHP said the women were returning from a beach trip at Ormond Beach at the time of the crash.
Cobb was taken into custody in 2023 after the FHP investigation revealed he had a high concentration of methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system at the time of the crash.
State documents show Cobb is a convicted felon who served time in prison for robbery. He has been released since April 2021.
Was there a plea offer? Prosecutors said it was for 25 years in prison. It was rejected.
Is Cobb in or out of the Marion County Jail? Out of jail on bond.
How many people were called for jury duty? Typically, Mondays are reserved for picking juries for civil and criminal trials for the rest of the week. Officials at the clerk’s office said 580 people received notices to show up to the Marion County Judicial Center for jury selection and 217 actually were present.
Three judges were picking juries for the week of March 30.
How long is the trial? It’s scheduled to begin March 31 and conclude April 2.
What happened in court?
Once jurors were qualified, 40 potential jurors for this case were sent to the judge’s courtroom.
The judge read information pertaining to the case and asked several questions, such as the potential jurors’ availability and if they’re aware of the case.
A dozen people were excused and 18 had the opportunity to sit in the jury box for additional questioning.
Once there, the panel members introduced themselves and told the court some information about their families.
The lawyers probed a bit deeper in order to select a jury. The lawyers agreed on seven jurors, with one alternate. The jury is made up of four men and three women.
They were sworn-in by the court clerk. The judge gave jurors their do’s and don’ts and an explanation of what to expect for the trial.
What’s next? Trial starts at 1 p.m. March 31. Lawyers plans to discuss motions in the morning.
Prosecutors are expected to call more than a dozen witnesses. The defense is expected to call at least one witness. It’s unknown if Cobb will take the stand in his own defense.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Trial for Justin Jacob Cobb, charged with DUI manslaughter, set to start
Reporting by Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner / Ocala Star-Banner
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
