Judge Stephanie Boyd begins jury selection in assault-by-choking trial; venire instructed on presumption of innocence

Judge Stephanie Boyd opened jury selection in State v. Duron Evans, introduced counsel for the State and defense, and instructed the venire on fundamental trial concepts and logistical matters.

Prosecutors introduced themselves on the record as Rick Bennett, Ashley Jones and Raul Sanchez. Defense counsel identified themselves as Sigiri (first name/identifier only appears in the record) and Deborah St. Heinrich, who confirmed representation of Mr. Evans.

Judge Boyd told jurors an indictment "is not evidence of anything" and emphasized that a defendant is presumed innocent. She explained the right to remain silent and said, "if mister Evans decides not to testify, you can't hold it against him," instructing jurors they must not consider a defendant's choice not to testify as evidence of guilt. On the burden of proof she said there is no fixed courtroom definition for "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" and contrasted it with other standards such as "preponderance of the evidence" and "clear and convincing evidence," using hypotheticals to illustrate why jurors should base decisions on the evidence presented at trial.

Judge Boyd also conducted language checks (identifying jurors whose first language was Spanish, Russian, Greek/German, or other languages), asked about scheduling conflicts and medical issues, and explained procedures for raising question cards and standing when answering to aid the court reporter. She set a lunch break and directed jurors to return at 1:15 p.m. for continued jury selection.

Next steps: Jury selection will resume at 1:15 p.m.; the court will proceed with voir dire and strike/seat jurors as appropriate.