After nearly grinding to a halt since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, jury trials at the Lehigh County Courthouse in Allentown are poised to restart in June.
If you live in Lehigh County, there’s a greater chance than usual that you’ll be called for jury duty this summer. Court officials have sent out 50% more jurors summonses than usual, and there are dozens of cases, including some high-profile homicides, scheduled for trial.
Numerous precautions, including increased cleaning protocols and plexiglass barriers in courtrooms, have been taken to assure jurors will be safe while performing their civic duty. Here’s what jurors can expect.
Potential jurors won’t have to show proof that they’ve been vaccinated against COVID.
While mask requirements for vaccinated people have been lifted at some public buildings, the county courthouse will continue to require masks for the time being. Vaccinated people will not be permitted to go maskless, at least for now.
Why not limit juries to people who have been vaccinated?
According to the National Center for State Courts, restricting jury pools to persons who are fully vaccinated may make it more difficult to secure enough prospective jurors. Along with COVID’s higher impact on people of color, public health experts have noted ongoing challenges in getting the vaccine out to certain communities. “Excluding persons who are not fully vaccinated may make the jury pool less likely to reflect a fair cross-section of the community, which in turn may also increase the risk of jury challenges,” NCSC officials said.
The air will be cleaner, at least in one Lehigh County courtroom.
An air quality study of Courtroom 2A, the largest courtroom and the courtroom designated for at least one pending homicide trial, was conducted in October. Public defenders representing Antwan Washington, who is accused of killing a 16-year-old Dieruff student in 2018, hired an engineer to provide an expert opinion regarding the potential risks of spreading coronavirus in Courtroom 2A and the best ways to minimize transmission in that courtroom.
According to Stacey Witalec, spokesperson for the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, engineers determined that Courtroom 2A has the ability to meet or exceed industry and CDC standards for ventilation rates, but recommended several improvements. In response to the engineers’ report, the court purchased and installed the recommended air filters, increased the damper to 100% outdoor airflow into the courthouse, and began running the ventilation system 24/7, Witalec said.
While 2A will not be available for every trial, “the court is taking all reasonable precautions, even beyond current CDC recommendations,” to make sure jurors will be safe in other courtrooms, Witalec said.
Courtroom gallery seats will be scarce.
To facilitate social distancing, the number of spectator seats in Lehigh County courtrooms has been reduced. Overflow rooms, where interested people can observe trials via video, will be provided.
Incarcerated defendants will go first.
People who have been waiting behind bars for their day in court will have first pick of available juries. After those trials are complete, nonincarcerated defendants will be tried “as quickly as possible,” Witalec said.
Among the incarcerated homicide defendants scheduled for trial in June are Ashley Caraballo, a North Whitehall woman accused of killing her infant and hiding the body in a paint can in 2017, and Steven Oliemuller, a Lower Milford man accused of beating his 20-year-old girlfriend to death during a meth-fueled rage in 2018.
Where can potential jurors find more information about serving during the pandemic?
The county court’s website has a section devoted to coronavirus-related information for jurors. https://www.lccpa.org/Covid19
Morning Call reporter Laurie Mason Schroeder can be reached at lmason@mcall.com or 610-820-6506.
