Update: More than half of potential jurors excused from serving in trial for Christian and Newsom murders

Judge Richard Baumgartner told more than 60 potential jurors that he is a Knox County Criminal Court Judge looking for a jury in Hamilton County for a case with high community interest and substantial media coverage.

But not many potential Chattanooga jurors have heard about the carjacking and murders of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom.

After swearing in the first group, the judge told them this is a complicated case and it takes a special kind of juror to hear 5 or 6 days of evidence and remain a fair and impartial juror.

However, one woman said she knew enough about the case to know she could not serve on the jury for 26 year old George Thomas.

The mother of four said she has children around the ages of the victims.  She also told Judge Baumgartner she is too emotional and would not be a fair and impartial juror.  The judge excused her from serving on the jury.

Another potential juror has quite a bit of experience sitting in a jury box.  The Hamilton County woman said she was concerned about the graphic photographs that were mentioned by the judge.   She said she could not look at bloody pictures, but the judge assured her that blood was not part of what makes the photographs gruesome.

The same potential juror said she has served as a juror in 3 federal cases with unanimous decisions in each trial.  However, during one of the Chattanooga trials, the woman said she  learned that police officers don't always tell the truth.

During Monday morning's session, a man told the judge one of his co-workers knows Gary Christian and he had heard several details from a trial.  He said he thought the trial was over, the judge explained there have been other trials before this one.  However, the potential juror said he had heard about a defendant testifying about oral sex with the victim. 

Letalvis Cobbins testified in August that Christian offered him oral sex if he would convince his brother, Lemaricus Davidson to let her go. 

The prospective juror told the judge he heard that Gary Christian became outraged during that testimony.  That same man also believes that only the death penalty is an appropriate punishment for first degree murder.  He was excused.

Judge Baumgartner told prospective jurors, if they are selected they would be driven from Chattanooga to Knoxville on November 30th to be sequestered for around 10 days for the Thomas trial.

On Monday, out of 64 potential jurors, 36 were excused and 28 were retained for general voir dire on Wednesday afternoon.

Previous coverage

More than 170 potential Chattanooga jurors will be individually questioned over the course of 3 days as a Knox County judge searches for a fair and impartial jury for another defendant accused of brutally killing a young couple.

Judge Richard Baumgartner wants to find a Hamilton County jury for George Thomas' trial in Knox County.

In August, Letalvis Cobbins was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Channon Christian.

Last month, Cobbins' older brother Lemaricus Davidson was sentenced to four death sentences for the murders of Christian and Chris Newsom.

Thomas is expected to go to trial on December 1st for the kidnappings, murders, rapes and theft of Christian and Newsom.

Federal, state and local officers took Cobbins, George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman into custody in Lebanon, Kentucky on January 11, 2007.

While Coleman talked to officers, she said Thomas told her he shot and killed Newsom.

Thomas and Cobbins were long time friends and co-workers.

During his police interrogation, Cobbins told officers he heard Davidson tell Thomas he needed to prove himself.  Cobbins said Thomas left with Davidson and came back with stained clothes.

However, during the previous trials, DNA experts, fingerprint analysts and firearms examiners have not mentioned any evidence that links Thomas to the crimes.

Davidson's ex-girlfriend Daphne Sutton has testified she saw  Thomas at 2316 Chipman Street the weekend Christian and Newsom were killed.

Thomas' attorneys Thomas Dillard and Stephen Johnson are fighting to get their client's statements to police thrown out before his trial begins.   

Meanwhile, attorneys and the judge will spend Monday, Tuesday and part of Wednesday asking jurors about their opinions on the death penalty and their media exposure to the case. 

On Wednesday afternoon, Judge Baumgartner hopes to seat a Chattanooga jury.  Jurors will be driven to Knox County on November 30th to be sequestered for Thomas' trial.