Jury selection began Monday in the first trial of the man accused of killing a North Texas district attorney, his wife and a top prosecutor last year.
Eric Williams faces execution if convicted, and prosecutors are boosting their odds by making the first trial only for the death of Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland's wife, Cynthia.
Cynthia McLelland was gunned down with her husband in their home in March 2013.
Assistant DA Mark Hasse was shot to death on a street near the Kaufman County Courthouse in January 2013.
Williams, a former justice of the peace, is accused of pulling the trigger on all of them as retribution for his 2012 conviction by the prosecutors for burglary and theft that ended his legal career.
Other trials for Williams could follow later.
Criminal defense attorney Barry Sorrells said deterrence for other such crimes is a consideration for prosecutors in this case.
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“They want to send a message that if you commit a crime like this we’re going spare no expense to hammer you in the criminal justice system,” Sorrells said.
The trial was moved to neighboring Rockwall County to help find a larger pool of impartial jurors and larger courtroom facilities. Jury selection is expected to take at least a month. Potential jurors were told Monday to expect a two or three week trial when testimony begins on Dec. 1.
Criminal defense attorney Pete Schulte said selecting an impartial jury will require patience.
“This was national news. It is going to be difficult to find 12 people who don’t have some sort of opinion about in this case,” Schulte said.
Potential jurors are interviewed individually in death penalty cases. Just three were interviewed Monday.
Williams' wife, Kim, was also charged in the case, but she has since filed for divorce and authorities have said she confessed to being present when Eric Williams shot all three victims.
“Everybody knows at some point in the future, she will be given consideration for her cooperating with the government,” Sorrells said.
Prosecutors have said they have made no deal with Kim Williams yet, but she is listed as a state witness.
“I think a lot of the small details the prosecution has come directly from Kim Williams, and that’s going to be known as the trial progresses,” Schulte said.
