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Examining the Sievers jury questionnaire

Posted at 8:33 AM, Nov 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-18 08:38:03-05

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- As Day 5 of jury selection continues Monday morning in the trial of Mark Sievers for the death of his wife Teresa, we're getting some insight into some of the questions potential jurors are being asked.

They're given a questionnaire to fill out to speed up the process.

Potential jurors are told the answers to these questions are given under oath, and some questions are personal -- but necessary to the process.

47 questions are on this form. Some seem pretty standard, asking if you've served on a jury before, if you or anyone close to you has had education or employment in the legal field.

But other questions are more personal.
--The sex, age, and occupation of your children and stepchildren
--What clubs, societies, or organizations you belong to?
--What was the last book you read?
--What are your favorite movies or tv shows?
--Have you ever read a book about a murder trial?
--Do you or have you had a bumper sticker on your car?
--Were you or someone you're close to ever involved in a divorce or separation involving children?

The form also includes questions about the mental health field and law enforcement, and if you or a family member has ever been accused of a crime or a victim of a crime.

Then the questionnaire gets into topics more closely related to the murder trial.
--Will you be able to see graphic photos without it overly influencing your decision making?
--Are you in favor of the death penalty?
--Do you believe the death penalty should be used more or less frequently?