BENTONVILLE -- A helicopter pilot, a stay-at-home mother, a retired engineer and a man who works in shipping and receiving were selected Monday to serve on the jury in the capital murder trial of Zachary Holly.
Holly, 30, of Bentonville is also charged with kidnapping, rape and residential burglary. He's charged with the abduction and killing of 6-year-old Jersey Bridgeman. Prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
Sentencing options
The two sentencing options for people convicted of capital murder are life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty. The sentence range for a kidnapping conviction is 10 to 40 years or life imprisonment. The punishment for rape is 25 to 40 years or life imprisonment, if convicted. A conviction for residential burglary carries a prison sentence of five years-20 years.
Source: Staff report
Prosecutors and defense attorneys selected three jurors Monday morning after questioning five people. One juror from a prospective seven was chosen in the afternoon.
Some questioning centered around the death penalty and publicity the case has received.
Nathan Smith, Benton County prosecutor, wanted to know if prospective jurors could sign their names to the verdict form resulting in a death sentence.
"It's one thing to say that you are against the death penalty, but another to sign your name to the form," Smith said.
The pilot said he had heard of the case. His initial thoughts centered on death sentences for people accused of killing children. He said he hadn't discussed the case with anyone and he could be a fair juror.
The stay-at-home mother said it would be difficult for her to be on the jury because she has a daughter.
"You think about your kids and it's your worst nightmare," she said.
The woman said she would be able to consider life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty.
Kent McLemore, one of Holly's attorneys, wanted to know from prospective jurors whether they had heard about the case from the news media and whether they had formed any opinions about the case.
One man said he discussed the case with his wife. They were upset a child had been murdered. A grandmother of 7-year-old twin girls said she was driving on A Street and the person with her pointed out where the crime occurred.
Neither were selected to serve on jury.
Jury selection continues this morning. Eight more jurors are needed.
Jersey's body was found Nov. 20, 2012, in an abandoned house on Southeast A Street in Bentonville.
Holly lived next to Jersey's family on Southeast A Street. He and his then-wife sometimes babysat Jersey and her younger sister, according to court documents.
A medical examiner determined Jersey died from asphyxia, according to court documents.
Holly is being held without bond in the Benton County Jail.
NW News on 05/12/2015