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Jimmy Rodgers trial Day 5: More potential jurors get questioned

Posted at 6:40 AM, Oct 07, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-07 14:27:34-04

UPDATE (2:20 PM) -- The judge has addressed the no show juror on Monday. He asked that she be contacted and told that she must be in court Tuesday at 8:30. The judge asked the state and defense if there is any other action they want him to take in regards to this potential juror. They say no.
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UPDATE (1:30 PM) -- The first potential juror in the afternoon session was excused for cause after saying she is a member of the Catholic church and cannot condemn anyone to the death penalty.
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UPDATE (12:30 PM) -- The judge says there are 24 potential jurors remaining to be questioned in phase two of the selection process.

12 of those are being questioned Monday afternoon, and the other 12 on Tuesday. Other potential jurors from last week were asked to return Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

There is no court on Wednesday, and jury selection is likely to continue into Thursday, and possibly Friday.
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UPDATE (9:30 AM) -- Mark Sievers made a brief appearance in court Monday morning wearing a prison jumpsuit, appearing before the judge to discuss scheduling.

Mark Sievers in court 10-7-19.jpg

He is now set to return to court next Monday at 8:30 a.m. He is ordered to remain on call in case something happens before that.

Mark's trial is expected to start at the conclusion of Jimmy Rodgers' trial for the murder of Teresa Sievers.
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FORT MYERS, Fla. -- We are now entering the fifth day of the Sievers murder trial. But just in case you are not familiar with the story, here is the background.

It's been four years since Dr. Teresa Sievers was murdered inside her Bonita Springs home.

After years of investigating, police describe a sinister murder-for-hire planned by her husband and carried out by his best friend, Curtis Wayne Wright -- who already accepted a plea deal -- and his accomplice, Jimmy Rodgers.

Investigators say the motive behind this murder was Teresa's life insurance policy, worth millions of dollars.

Now let's get you up to speed on where we are in the jury selection process. The first trial will be for Jimmy Rodgers, followed by Mark Sievers. Selection will continue Monday morning, when potential jurors will continue with phase two of questioning.

Nearly 200 jurors went through the selection process last week. The second phase of questioning started Thursday.

These questions are more in depth, asking how the potential jurors feel about having someone's life in their hands.

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