The court set conditions for battered spouse syndrome evidence, ordered interview redactions, and ruled on medical and digital exhibits while preserving trial objections. Jury selection continued with questions about impartiality, witness credibility, abuse, and self-defense, alongside stipulated juror excusals and concerns requiring further inquiry.
Full day summary
The court declined to exclude battered spouse syndrome evidence outright, but required a sufficient self-defense predicate before expert testimony. References during opening statements and voir dire remained permitted. Tony Henderson identified Torres' hand emerging from the suitcase as the defense's alleged overt act. That account was argument and proffer, not trial testimony.
The court ordered interview redactions, including statements it found to be prejudicial law-enforcement opinions about guilt and causation. It allowed medical narratives explaining why Torres sought treatment and blood alcohol information from the 2017 and 2018 incidents, while excluding other records unless relevance was established. Based on the State's proffer, the court overruled broad objections to digital exhibits, but required an appropriate foundation and preserved trial objections. William R. Jay agreed to remove two images showing reflections of children. The State's objections to the defense exhibit list were deferred until the following morning.
Jury selection addressed the presumption of innocence, reasonable doubt, Boone's right not to testify, and prospective jurors' ability to remain impartial. One juror initially expected Boone to testify but later said she would not hold silence against her. The court excused Badges 58 and 294 by stipulated for-cause strikes and separately recorded a stipulated cause strike for Badge 471 after a positive COVID test.
Jay questioned jurors about state of mind, witness credibility, graphic evidence, police experiences, abuse, and self-defense. His discussion of intent to kill and voluntary intoxication previewed anticipated instructions, rather than instructions delivered by the court. Seat 44 expressed difficulty with reasonable doubt, and Seat 22 described police abuse in Kosovo while distinguishing encounters in the United States. Juror 49's disclosure that his brother was killed by his wife prompted a pause, with private follow-up planned.