Jury seated in Sagle murder case

SANDPOINT — A jury of eight men and six men was seated Tuesday to decide the guilt or innocence of a Sagle man accused of shooting another man to death last year.

The state’s opening remarks in the second-degree murder case against James Matthew Anderson are slated to begin today.

The jury was seated after a day-long selection process in 1st District Court.

Judge Steve Verby said the selection process for the murder trial was expedited by a  detailed questionnaire which quizzed potential jurors on their qualifications, attitudes on a variety of topics and knowledge of those involved in the case.

“In a murder case, picking a jury can take two weeks,” Verby said.

Three hundred fifty questionnaires were mailed to potential jurors, but only about 130 were qualified to serve, according to Jury Commission Chris Quayle.

Sixty potential jurors were summoned for Tuesday’s selection process and another 20 were lined up for Wednesday in case further voir dire was needed.

Voir dire is the process by which attorneys question prospective jurors about their backgrounds and potential biases before being picked to sit on the jury.

Although 14 jurors were picked and given initial jury instructions, two will be designated as alternates and will not partake in deliberations unless a juror falls ill or is otherwise unable to continue.

The alternates are picked at random before the case is submitted for the jury to decide.

Anderson, 29, is accused of gunning down Elvin “Eli” Holt during a late-night confrontation outside Anderson’s trailer in Sagle on Nov. 27, 2008.

Holt, 30, was killed by a .44-caliber gunshot wound to the head. Anderson told investigators the weapon accidentally discharged and maintains he is innocent of murder.