Jury picked in Fresno to hear Chuck Yeager case
By Pablo Lopez, The Fresno Bee | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Opening statements in the civil case are scheduled to begin Wednesday morning.
UPDATE: Settlement reached in civil case pitting
Unlike Yeager, whose heroics include being the first man to break the sound barrier, the jury is mixture of average citizens: a young student with dreams of being a paramedic, a homemaker who takes care of her granddaughter, a retired fire captain who is rebuilding a 1946 Ford with his 75-year-old father, and a school employee who loves oldradio shows like "Dragnet."
The selection process took about three hours, largely because a majority of the potential jurors didn't know Yeager or his exploits as a
In starting the process, Judge
Before the selection process began, both sides introduced themselves. While the other participants just said their names, Yeager waved hello and said: "You look like a good bunch of guys to fight a war with."
In an attempt to defuse Yeager's popularity, a lawyer representing Wild, Carter & Tipton reminded the gathering of its purpose. "It's not a war. It's a search for the truth," said attorney
Though Yeager's exploits will be discussed in detail during the trial, the evidence will likely focus on his wife, whom he met on a hiking trail near Grass Valley in 2000 and married in
Since his second marriage, the general, as he is referred to in court papers, has been thrust into nearly two dozen lawsuits involving a variety of opponents, including his own children. He also has gone through more than 20 attorneys in a span of less than seven years, including 10 lawyers to fight Wild, Carter & Tipton.
During the jury selection process, both sides talked about Yeager's military service, which includes flying missions during the
In questioning potential jurors, Whitney and attorney
Because two potential jurors were born in
Both sides also wanted to know whether lawyers are considered good or bad. A vast majority of potential jurors said they had no qualms about lawyers and found them useful in divorce proceedings and in civil disputes.
But one potential juror said lawyers couldn't be trusted. He said he formed his opinion by watching television shows in which lawyers are portrayed as sneaky. He, too, was dismissed from the panel.
In the end, a chief executive officer for a Fresno hospital, a young man who once worked in Selma bowling alley, and a crop insurance underwriter were among the jurors who will determine whether Yeager and his wife have a legitimate malpractice case against Wild, Carter & Tipton or whether they should pay their bill.
The reporter can be reached at (559) 441-6434, [email protected] or @beecourts on Twitter.
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