Luka Magnotta jury selection underway in Montreal court
1st-degree murder trial expected to take 6 to 8 weeks
Luka Magnotta watched calmly Monday as dozens of people addressed a Montreal courtroom stating why they weren't fit to sit on a jury for his first-degree murder trial.
The 32-year-old looked markedly different since his last court appearance. Most notably, he has put on considerable weight while in custody awaiting his trial.
Hundreds of potential jurors are expected to present themselves at the Montreal courthouse over the course of the next two weeks as the jury is chosen for the trial of the 32-year-old.
This morning, the court heard from potential jurors who had already declared they would not be able to participate in the trial.
Most said they were not bilingual, a requirement since the defendant speaks only English and the proceedings will be conducted in both English and French.
A total of 87 jurors who were not asking for exemptions remained. They will answer questions from the Crown and Magnotta's defence team, who will whittle down the pool to a dozen plus two alternates.
Magnotta faces five charges in connection with the May 2012 slaying of Jun Lin, a 33-year-old Chinese engineering student.
He was arrested in Berlin in June 2012 and has been in custody awaiting trial since.
"It's been a long journey," Magnotta's Toronto-based criminal attorney, Luc Leclair, told reporters outside of court.
"He's been waiting a long time. I've been waiting a long time."
Magnotta wore a grey T-shirt and dark pants as he watched the proceedings inside the courthouse.
Quebec Superior Court Judge Guy Cournoyer told the court Monday morning that anyone with any connection to the accused or any potential witnesses would not be eligible to sit on the jury.
The trial will likely last between six and eight weeks.
Evidence is unlikely to be heard before Sept. 22.
The Crown's case will be presented by Louis Bouthillier.
Magnotta has pleaded not guilty to murder and four other charges:
- Committing an indignity to a body.
- Publishing obscene material.
- Criminally harassing Prime Minister Stephen Harper and members of Parliament.
- Mailing obscene and indecent material.
With files from The Canadian Press