BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Jury selection has finished in the trial of a man accused of gunning down a Burlington bicyclist in August.
About 55 potential jurors remained for questioning Wednesday in the trial of 39-year-old Joshua Royer, of Burlington. He is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 50-year-old Eddie Martin Cooper.
Police say Royer shot Cooper several times on Aug. 6 as Cooper was riding his bike. Investigators have said it doesn’t appear Martin and Cooper knew each other, but authorities have declined to discuss a motive.
The Hawk Eye reports selection began Tuesday with a pool of 85 candidates. Judge Mary Ann Brown dismissed 10 potential jurors because they said they already made up their minds that Royer is guilty, and 20 others were excused for other conflicts.
