Citing a lack of evidence for an out-of-county jury to hear the homicide trial of 21-year-old Marie Louise Seilhamer, Blair County Judge Jolene G. Kopriva ruled this week that residents of Blair County will sit on the jury.
Months ago, Seilhamer’s attorney, Thomas Dickey of Altoona, motioned the court for a change of venue in the case, which, if granted, would either take the trial proceedings out of Blair County and into another area or bring a jury from another county into Blair County to hear the case. He argued the extensive media coverage of the event could possibly taint a jury pool, thus not giving his client a chance at a fair trail.
But now that Seilhamer’s accomplice, 21-year-old Kristin Edmundson of Duncansville, has entered into a first-degree murder plea agreement, Dickey’s mind has changed. He now says his client deserves to have her case heard by a jury made up of local jurors.
The Blair County Court Administrator’s Office has scheduled jury selection to begin April 28 at the courthouse in Hollidaysburg.
Seilhamer is accused of assisting in the beating death of 20-year-old Hollidaysburg resident Shari Lee Jackson in May 2001. Co-defendant Edmundson, in January, saved herself from the death penalty by admitting to the crime and entering into the life sentence agreement with Blair County District Attorney Dave Gorman and the commonwealth.
Prior to Edmundson entering her plea agreement, Kopriva ruled that an out-of-county jury would hear her case, ruling in favor with the defense that the extensive media coverage may taint a jury pool.
Also, Judge Kopriva ruled the deceased’s mother, Robin Jackson, could be present in the courtroom during Seilhamer’s trial. Gorman had recently requested Kopriva to stray away from the norm and allow Robin Jackson to be in the courtroom. He claimed she “has an emotional need to be there.”
In normal trial proceedings, witnesses who will testify at trial are banned from the courtroom and from hearing testimony by any other witnesses. This, according to Gorman, is to ensure the integrity of every witnesses testimony.
But Gorman said he feels the information which Robin Jackson would testify too is “minor” and would not be affected or effect other witnesses testimony.
An important issue that Kopriva has yet to rule on is whether Edmundson’s plea agreement can be brought to the jury’s attention at trial.
Dickey claims having the jury know of the plea agreement is essential to his client’s case. Gorman said case law will not allow the topic to be spoken into evidence.
Prosecutors content Seilhamer and Edmundson drove the victim to a pull-off area just across the Blair County line on May 5, 2001. There, authorities say Seilhamer repeatedly struck Jackson with a wooden baseball bat. The affidavit of probable cause states Edmundson then slit Jackson’s throat with a box cutter after the beating was over.
According to the affidavit, the two then loaded the body in a truck and transported the corps a short distance and disposed of it in a wooded area.
The next day, police said a Boswell couple assisted Edmundson with burning the body and disposing of evidence.
