Attorneys, judge keep winnowing jury pool for ex-cop’s trial

MINNEAPOLIS – A judge and attorneys have excused seven more people from the jury pool for the murder trial of a former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed woman who had called 911 to report a possible rape near her home.

Mohamed Noor is charged with murder in the July 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. Noor shot the 40-year-old dual Australian-U.S. citizen after she approached his squad car.

Noor has declined to speak to investigators. His attorneys plan to argue he acted in self-defence.

The seven jurors excused Thursday include a man who said he wanted to hear Noor’s side of the story and one woman who was a crime victim as a child.

That brings the total number of excused jurors to 23, out of a pool of 75. Jury selection continues Friday.