Double murder trial delayed after Fresno juror tests positive for COVID

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A treble execution lawsuit crushed to a halt astatine the Fresno County Courthouse Tuesday aft a juror tested affirmative for COVID.

"Juror #12 called successful contiguous and advised america that helium tested affirmative for COVID this morning," Judge John Vogt said.

The setback comes connected what would person been the 3rd time of grounds successful Filimon Hurtado's trial.

The 31-year-old has pleaded not blameworthy to 2 counts of execution and 1 number of premeditated execution and arson.

Prosecutors accidental Hurtado acceptable occurrence to a household location successful westbound cardinal Fresno successful May of 2022, sidesplitting his 1-year-old niece and 5-month-old nephew.

Hurtado's proceedings volition present resume connected August 22 to relationship for different jurors who mightiness trial affirmative aboriginal this week.

"We are going to marque tests disposable for you," Judge Vogt said. "There volition beryllium 2 tests successful each box, and we volition administer those to you this morning."

Fears of vulnerability dispersed rapidly successful the courtroom, wherever the juror with COVID spent respective hours connected Monday. Attorneys masked up, and the tribunal newsman disinfected her workspace, but it whitethorn beryllium excessively small excessively late.

"They tin beryllium spreading that astir to not lone different jurors, lawyers, litigants, the judge, and courtroom personnel," Action News Legal Analyst Tony Capozzi said. "And the courtrooms successful Fresno County are precise small, precise outmoded."

While Capozzi says it was important for the justice to support the assemblage and guarantee a just trial, the hold could beryllium challenging. Jurors are not allowed to speech astir the lawsuit and volition person to callback grounds -- immoderate of it 2 weeks aged -- erstwhile they instrumentality adjacent week.

"The justice whitethorn marque a summary of what happened truthful acold and springiness that to the jurors, but truly it's going to beryllium upon the jurors' representation arsenic to what they've heard successful the past," Capozzi said.

The affirmative COVID trial comes arsenic region wellness officials accidental they are seeing precocious levels of the microorganism circulating successful Fresno.

They are reminding everybody to get vaccinated and signifier bully hygiene.

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