Lee Rigby murder: Trial jury panel selected
- Published
Fusilier Rigby was murdered as he walked back to Woolwich barracks
A jury panel of 14 people has been selected for the trial of two men accused of murdering soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, south-east London.
The final 12 to hear the case of Michael Adebowale, 22, and Michael Adebolajo, 28, will be set on Friday.
The judge did not choose the 12 immediately because he wanted the panel to reflect overnight if anything precluded them from being jurors.
Fusilier Rigby was killed as he walked back to Woolwich barracks on 22 May.
The judge warned the 14 they should not go away and research the case or contact anyone involved either in the case or selected to be part of the panel.
Four questions
Mr Adebolajo, from Romford, east London, who has asked to be known as Mujaahid Abu Hamza in court, was wearing a black shirt in court on Thursday.
He and Mr Adebowale, from Greenwich, south-east London - who wants to be known as Ismail Ibn Abdullah - sat in the dock separated by security guards.
They both deny the charges of murdering Fusilier Rigby, attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder a police officer.
On Thursday, Mr Justice Sweeney asked the potential jurors four questions to determine their ability to try the case:
Have you or any person with whom you have regular and close personal contact been in the vicinity of a terrorist incident?
Are you or any person with whom you have regular and close personal contact employed or have been employed by the Armed Forces, police force, Prison Service, security services or the Crown Prosecution Service?
Is there any reason arising from your beliefs, past or present occupation or any other matter that you feel may inhibit the essential requirement to return true verdicts according to the evidence in this trial? In particular, do you or any member of your family or a relative or close friend hold political or religious views of such strength that they might materially influence your consideration of this case?
Is there some other compelling reason requiring you to be excused?
The judge told the jury panel: "The jurors who try this case must do so impartially, and thus based on only the evidence that those jurors are going to hear in this courtroom and absolutely nothing else."
The prosecution case is expected to open on Friday.