San Angelo, USA - A jury has been seated in the trial of Merril Leroy Jessop, 35, a member of the polygamist sect from the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Schleicher County charged with sexual assault of a child in connection with allegations that he married an underage girl.
The jury is made up of seven women and seven men to fill in the 12 juror and two alternate positions. Among the jurors, three have Hispanic surnames.
Jury selection from a pool of 250 people in Tom Green County began Monday and continued through the day. The trial is being held in Courtroom A at the Tom Green County Courthouse in San Angelo.
Jessop is the third man from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to be tried on child sexual assault charges that grew out of evidence seized during a raid on the YFZ Ranch in April 2008. Another pleaded no-contest, and several others have cases pending. All four cases resolved to date have resulted in prison sentences for the defendants.
Jessop’s defense attorneys this morning moved to be granted more than the standard 10 peremptory strikes against prospective jurors, citing widespread prejudice against their client, but 51st District Judge Barbara Walther denied the motion.
Opening arguments are expected to begin this morning.