State begins picking jurors for double-murder trial

Jury selection began today in the third double-murder trial of Vaughn Jones and continues Tuesday in Craven County Superior Court.

A woman and man were given the preliminary approval by state prosecutor Ann Kirby.

A third man was excused by Kirby, with each examination taking about 30 minutes.

The state will examine 12 prospective jurors and two alternates. Kirby still has the opportunity to ask them additional questions before defense attorney Dick McNeil begins examining the panel.

The process could take three to four days.

The opening day was consumed with jurors filling out a questionnaire for prosecutors and the defense.

Jones is accused of the stabbing death of Rosa and Richard Flowers at their Mesic home in January 2003.

He has been tried twice before and jurors both times could not reach a unanimous verdict.

David Spence, who has assisted in the prosecution at the two prior trials, was absent from the prosecution bench Monday. District Attorney Scott Thomas said Spence was away on medical leave. Thomas did not elaborate.

The state's round of questioning probed the potential jurors' opinion of keeping appropriate records.

After the previous two trials, jurors said law enforcement investigators in the Jones case did not keep adequate accounts of the investigation. Testimony in the prior trials showed that some reports were not made until several months after the initial investigation.

Kirby also questioned prospective jurors about their opinion of evidence.

Some of them said that DNA, blood, fingerprints and fiber were important parts of evidence.

No fingerprints were found at the Flowerses' home, where the stabbings occurred.

One of the two potential jurors selected by the prosecution Monday is an elderly woman, who has three grown children, one of them a son who supervises three states in the Northwest for Homeland Security. The woman said she wasn't exactly sure what her son does, but she knew it had to do with drugs and the border. "He has an extensive law enforcement background," she said.

The woman was told that a convicted cocaine dealer could be called to testify for the state. Kirby asked if such a witness would be credible. "I would lean toward what the law enforcement officer said," the woman said.

"You always respect police if you were brought up that way," she added.

A man in his early 30s was excused by the state after being examined. He is in the medical profession and said that records are crucial.

A middle-aged man who is a retired captain in the military said he was a stickler for keeping records. He also said that he has a son in and out of rehab for cocaine use. He said he thought a big record-keeping mistake could not be overlooked.

"If you felt there was a poor investigation, would you deliver a not- guilty verdict to punish police?" Kirby asked.

The man said no.

Kirby approved him for the jury.

More jurors will be questioned Tuesday.

Kirby has told the prospective jurors that the trial could last at least two weeks.