Jury selection began yesterday in the penalty phase retrial of a man facing the death penalty, with prospective jurors filling out questionnaires probing their attitudes on capital punishment, life imprisonment and forgiveness. The first 400 of 2,000 prospective jurors completed a 25-page questionnaire in Eastern District Court as the retrial nears for Ronell Wilson, who was convicted of murdering two undercover detectives on Staten Island in 2003.
The questionnaire asked whether potential jurors believed in "an eye for an eye" and whether "mercy and forgiveness" have a role to play for a person "guilty of intentionally killing two police officers." It asked if death sentences are imposed "too often," "about right" or "too seldom"; and whether the fact that another jury already sentenced Wilson to death would "influence" their own decision. Potential jurors were also asked what role a person’s childhood experiences have in their adult choices, and whether those experiences should be weighed in determining punishment.
