Jimmy Rodgers trial: Final jury selected on day 6

After six days of questions, the Rodgers trial has a seated jury. Some of the jurors are mothers and fathers, a good handful are retirees.

Judge Bruce Kyle has announced a 14-member jury (12 seated, 2 alternates) for the murder trial of Jimmy Rodgers in Lee County court Tuesday for the death of Dr. Teresa Sievers at her Bonita Springs home in 2015.

The jury consists of 5 seated men, 7 seated women, an alternate man and an alternate woman.

BREAKING: The jury is sworn in in the trial of #JimmyRodgers. Judge Bruce Kyle is reading the jury instructions now. @winknews

— Brooke Shafer (@BrookeWINKNews) October 8, 2019

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It’s official. We have a jury. Jimmy Rodgers says he accepts the panel. @winknews #RodgersTrial #SieversTrial Court just picked two alternates as well.

— Morgan Rynor (@Morgan_Rynor) October 8, 2019

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5:46 p.m. 

Final jury is being selected right now. State and defense are going through striking the jurors they don’t want. It looks like they are close to a final panel.

2:00 p.m. 

Forty three jurors just walked into the courtroom. The judge is going to start off by asking them questions, then the defense and prosecution will ask questions as well.

“Have you ever served in law enforcement or have family or friends that served in law enforcement?” 18 answered yes.

“Is there anyone here who would require the defendant to testify or hold it against him if he did not testify?” No one raised their hand.

1:40 p.m. 

The judge just sent the remaining seven jurors for round two home. The court is now entering into round three, voir dire, with the 43 jurors that already passed through round two.

The seven jurors that were sent home are told to return on Thursday unless they got a call telling them otherwise. The goal is for the defense and the prosecution to get a viable jury with the 43, but just in case, the other seven are on standby.

9:55 a.m. 

The second juror questioned today will be moving on to round three of questioning. The court just called in the third juror. She is a retired mom.

9:00 a.m. 

The remaining 12 jurors from phase two are being questioned by the prosecution and defense right now. These questions still focus on the death penalty. All of the jurors who made it through, and will make it through, phase two are told to be at the courthouse at 1:30 p.m. today for round three of questioning. The court had a little bit of a late start this morning so we will see if they stay on track.

The first juror questioned today is a retired mom. She says she cannot recommend the death penalty. She was dismissed.

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A dozen more potential jurors will be questioned the first half of today for the trial of Jimmy Rodgers, who is accused of killing Bonita Springs doctor, Teresa Sievers.

This trial not only impacts the community, but also the daughters of Mark and Teresa Sievers.

An agency that works with traumatized children who have lost parents says they met with the two young girls shortly after Teresa was murdered.

The founder of Valerie’s House says the children will likely relive their trauma the more they hear about the trial.

“I know they had to move at one point, so it’s loss of school. It’s loss of their home. I mean, their mother lost her life in the family home. So you think about the loss of the home, the neighborhood, the friends, their mother, their father, their school… everything. Their whole world has been torn apart,” said Angela Melvin.

Following the trial of Jimmy Rodgers, Mark Sievers will be on trial and is accused of orchestrating the murder of his wife Teresa.

MORE:

• Jimmy Rodgers Trial: Jury selection underway: Day 1
• Jimmy Rodgers trial: Jury selection continues: Day 2
• Jimmy Rodgers Trial Day 3: Jury selection to continue into next week
• Jimmy Rodgers trial: Jury selection continues: Day 4
• Jimmy Rodgers Trial: Jury selection continues: Day 5