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SOUTH SIOUX CITY — Jury selection in the Jason Jones quadruple murder trial began Monday, with nearly 180 Dakota County residents gathering at the Marriott Riverfront Hotel here.
Monday marked the start of what could be a three-week trial in the State’s case against Jones, who is accused of killing four people at two homes in Laurel in August 2022.
But one key piece is missing from the courtroom proceedings - the 44-year-old defendant.
Jones has exercised his right not to appear at his own trial. His lead attorney, Todd Lancaster, wrote in May that 40-49 percent of his client’s body surface had burns, including his lower and upper extremities and his back. Jones was said to have skin grafts in all of those portions of his body and requires the assistance of a wheelchair.
Sitting for long periods of time and concentrating are both difficult for Jones because of his injuries, Lancaster said.
He is charged with four counts each of first-degree murder and use of a firearm to commit a felony and two counts of first-degree arson in connection to the shooting deaths of Gene Twiford, 86, and his wife, Janet Twiford, 85; their daughter, Dana Twiford, 55; and Michele Ebeling, 53, in the early-morning hours of Aug. 4, 2022.
Jurors are expected to start hearing evidence in murder trial
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District Judge Bryan Meismer earlier this year moved Jones’ trial to Dakota County after determining that Jones would not be able to receive a fair trial in Cedar County due to extensive press coverage and other concerns.
Jones is accused of fatally shooting the Twifords at their home at 503 Elm St. in Laurel, and Ebeling at her home, 209 Elm St. He allegedly set fire to the houses after killing the victims.
He was arrested at his home, across the street from Ebeling’s, by the Nebraska State Patrol’s SWAT team the day following the slayings after investigators found evidence at both crime scenes allegedly linking him to the killings.
Jones was found by law enforcement in his home with severe burns and taken to a Lincoln hospital, where he was treated for 12 weeks before being discharged and taken to the Nebraska Department of Corrections’ Reception and Treatment Center in Lincoln. He is being held there without bail. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
The killings are alleged to have occurred after Jones’ wife, 45-year-old Carrie Jones, pushed her husband to kill Gene Twiford because Twiford would allegedly drive by the Jones’ home and direct sexually-charged comments toward Carrie Jones.
Carrie Jones also is suspected of harboring her husband at their Laurel home after the killings and disposing of the clothes Jason Jones was wearing on the night of the homicides.
Carrie Jones is charged with first-degree murder, tampering with evidence and being an accessory to murder. She has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
Fifty-one people were randomly selected to make up the initial pool from which attorneys will pick 12 jurors and five alternates. An addi tional 120-plus people were summoned for the selection process, some of whom were called upon to replace those in the initial pool of 51 who were excused by the judge.
Among the questions asked to potential jurors was their views on the death penalty and whether their beliefs about capital punishment would influence their ability to be a fair juror.
Prospective jurors were reminded their duty is to determine the guilt or innocence of Jones and that a panel of judges, not jurors, would determine whether Jones receives the death penalty if convicted.
Twelve people raised their hands when asked by Meismer if they held religious beliefs that may prevent them from determining Jones’ guilt or innocence. Each was taken to the judge’s chambers for individual questioning.
Lancaster had previously asked the judge to grant a defense motion keeping the prosecution and court from death qualifying the jury panel. Death qualifying happens when potential jurors are disqualified from serving because they are strongly opposed to the death penalty.
Lancaster had argued that permitting death qualification would violate Jones' constitu tional rights. The Nebraska Supreme Court, though, has held under the Sixth Amendment that it is “permissible to determine during voir dire whether jurors’ views on capital punishment would prevent or substantially impair their ability to impartially apply the law to the evidence — and to exclude them for that reason."
Meismer rejected Lancaster’s motion, writing in a late-July order that the court would death qualify prospective jurors in a manner consistent with Nebraska law.
Much of Monday’s selection process was spent questioning dozens of people on an individual basis. Attorneys also typically question the group as a whole during this process.
Early in the day, Meismer said there were five people summoned for jury duty who did not show up. The judge said he’d “deal with them later" to the amusement of the group.
Those who failed to show up for jury duty may be held in contempt of court, which could lead to a fine or jail time.
Meismer said some may see the trial as an imposition or inconvenience but hopes jurors instead see it as “one of the highest civic re- sponsibilities you can perform."
