Dallas hospital shooting: Jury seated in trial of man accused of killing 2 healthcare workers
Dallas hospital shooting: Jury selection gets underway
Jury selection is nearly complete in the capital murder trial of 31-year-old Nestor Hernandez. Hernandez is accused of shooting and killing healthcare workers Jacqueline Pokuaa and Katie Annette Flowers in Oct. 2022. The trial will likely begin on Tuesday.
DALLAS - A jury has been seated in the trial of a man accused of killing two healthcare workers at Methodist Dallas Medical Center last year.
31-year-old Nestor Hernandez appeared in court in person, wearing a suit and tie for jury selection on Monday morning.
It is our first in-person look at the capital murder suspect since his arrest in the shooting deaths of nurse Katie Annette Flowers and healthcare worker Jaqueline Pokuaa.
On Monday, Hernandez sat stoically inside a Dallas County courtroom as attorneys for both sides, including Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot, asked potential jurors a series of questions.
The jury in the case was selected just after 5 p.m.
8 men and 4 women were chosen in the case.
Hernandez was in the mother-baby unit at the hospital on Oct. 22, 2022 visiting his girlfriend who had recently given birth.
Investigators say that's when he then began to hit his girlfriend with a pistol he brought with him.
"Reports indicate that he began acting strangely and indicated he would shoot the next person coming into the room and the nursing staff were shot and killed," said Russell Wilson, an attorney not involved in the case.
The first victim was 45-year-old Jaqueline Pokuaa, a hospital social worker, walked into the room to attend to the patient.
Hernandez reportedly stood up, moved towards Pokuaa, and shot her.
Police say Hernandez then fatally shot 63-year-old nurse Katie Annette Flowers, who looked into the room to investigate the sound.
Part of the violent encounter was captured on a police officer's body camera.
Methodist Medical System Sergeant Robert Rangel was just a few doors down investigating a stolen property report when the shooting happened.
Investigators say he immediately engaged with Hernandez and shot him in the leg.
Hernandez retreated back into the room, where a standoff ensued.
He was ultimately arrested.
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No one else was injured in the shooting.
If Hernandez is convicted of capital murder, he would get an automatic life sentence without the possibility of parole.
"When you think about what they need to prove and the circumstance that the defendant finds themselves in, I think the defense will have a lot of challenges," said Wilson.
Hernandez, a convicted felon, was on parole at the time of the shooting.
He got permission to be with his girlfriend for their baby's delivery despite previous parole violations.
Months before the shooting, Hernandez was arrested for cutting his ankle monitor.
This legislative session, two bills were passed in direct response to the incident at Methodist Dallas.
Senate Bill 1004 criminalizes cutting off ankle monitors, while Senate Bill 840 enhances the penalty for assaulting certain hospital staff from a misdemeanor to a felony.
Testimony in the trial is expected to begin as soon as a jury is seated.
Dallas hospital shooting suspect accused girlfriend of cheating before killing 2 workers, affidavit says
The Dallas police chief vented his frustration that the gunman charged with murdering two Methodist Dallas employees was allowed able to be inside the hospital. The violent prison parolee was twice arrested for parole violations with the most recent one in June.
The trial is expected to last up to two weeks.
Testimony will begin Tuesday at 9 a.m.