Jury Selected for Trial of Man Accused in Shooting That Paralyzed a USC Student

Columbia , S.C. (WOLO) — On Monday, the trial started for the man accused in the shooting that paralyzed a USC student. On the first day of trial, the court selected the 12 member jury made up of 11 females and 1 male. There will also be two alternatives. The proceedings took several hours Monday. The judge said they needed to take their time in the selection process to ensure no one had any prior opinions of the case due to it’s high publicity. Michael Juan Smith is on trial for a shooting in fives points nearly two years ago that left USC student Martha Childress paralyzed. Authorities say Smith allegedly fired a gun in October 2013 aimed at someone else and the stray bullet struck Childress. Smith is facing several charges including attempted murder. There is a plea agreement on the table. If Smith would plead guilty he would get 25 years in prison. However, the state can withdraw the agreement at any time during the trial. Trial will resume Tuesday at 11:30.