Jury selection got underway Monday in the trial of 22-year-old Kelvin Vickers, who is charged with murdering one Rochester police officer and wounding another last summer.
There are a number of challenges expected as attorneys prepare to select their panel for the case, which is expected to begin next Monday.
Last summer, Rochester police officers Anthony Mazurkiewicz and Sino Seng found themselves in the middle of a gang-related dispute over marijuana territory, according to investigators. The officers were conducting undercover surveillance in an unmarked police van on Bauman Street near Laser Street when they were ambushed and shot, authorities say.
Mazurkiewicz was killed, while Seng was injured in the attack. Vickers, who is from Boston, was eventually apprehended by officers in an abandoned house near the scene of the shooting.
Jury selection is taking place in Judge Julie Hahn’s Court. On day one of jury selection, 110 potential jurors were questioned.
Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley says the prosecution will present a compelling case against Vickers. The charges against him include murder, attempted murder, weapons offenses and arson. The trial is expected to be lengthy, with Doorley estimating that it could last four to five weeks.
Vickers is being defended by attorney Michael Schiano and Doorley is personally prosecuting the case.
The two sides said Monday that since the case is so high profile, it will likely take longer than usual to seat a jury.
“It’s going to be slow," Doorley said. "I mean, the most important thing is that we get a fair and impartial jury and a jury that we can rely on for what we believe to be a four-to-five-week trial. So, bear with us. It’s going to be long. It’s going to be painstaking. But I believe that in the end we’re going to have a jury that will be perfect for this case.”
“Right now, what we’re trying to do is siphon through the jurors that might have some issues with this type of case," Schiano said. "This is a murder case. This is a case involving a police officer. Clearly, a lot of people have opinions. They’ve heard stuff on the media. And we’re just trying to see if they can be fair and impartial.”
The prosecution is expected to argue that Vickers is not only responsible for Mazurkiewicz's death and Seng's injuries, but also culpable for the murders of two other people. Authorities say they were the victims of a triple-shooting incident that unfolded alongside the attack on the officers. Additionally, police say the shooting resulted in another person being wounded.
The court plans to seat a jury of 12 with four alternates.
Once jury selection is complete, both attorneys will present opening statements.
A camera will be allowed in the courtroom for that opening.
Spectrum News 1 will bring your coverage of that and reports from inside the courthouse via X, formerly known as Twitter.