Jury selection begins in Boulder King Soopers shooting trial

BOULDER, Colorado – Jury selection began Monday in the trial of Ahmad Alissa, whose lawyers have admitted to shooting 10 people at a Boulder King Soopers store in March 2021.

The jury commissioner for Boulder County has called a total of 1,500 potential jurors, who arrived in groups over several days this week to fill out an extensive questionnaire. Prosecutors and defense attorneys will review their responses, and it is likely that some people will be eliminated from the jury pool based on their answers.

On Tuesday, a group of those remaining will then go into a courtroom to continue the trial during jury selection – where they will face questions from the judge, prosecutors and defense attorneys.

This trial is expected to last at least two days – possibly longer. Once it is complete and the jury is seated, the trial will begin with opening statements.

Ahmad Alissa is charged with 10 counts of first-degree intentional homicide and 54 other counts in connection with the March 22, 2021 shooting at King Soopers, 3600 Table Mesa Drive in Boulder.

His lawyers have pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. In other words, they acknowledged that he killed the victims, but will present evidence that he could not distinguish between good and evil when he pulled the trigger.

“Given the size of Boulder and the fact that the case has attracted so much attention, I think 1,500 is probably the minimum the judge thinks is necessary,” said attorney Scott Robinson, a 9NEWS legal analyst.

There is no such thing as a perfect juror, but Robinson said both sides will try to appoint candidates with competing goals.

For example, prosecutors want jurors who “understand psychological testimony to some degree.”

“In a mental illness case, prosecutors are always afraid that there will be someone on the jury who thinks he or she is an amateur psychologist or psychiatrist,” Robinson said.

For a criminal defense attorney, the ideal juror may not exist.

“That would be someone who would be sympathetic to someone who is accused of such a heinous crime and who obviously has mental health issues, whether they rise to the level of insanity or not,” Robinson said.

Additionally, defense attorneys are likely to be more concerned about what jurors see and hear on bodycam and surveillance footage.

“In general, defense attorneys are more concerned about jurors being shocked and horrified by images of violence than prosecutors are,” Robinson said.

With the shooter's plea, the defense attorneys must present credible evidence that the man was not mentally competent on the day of the attack. However, the burden of proof does not lie with them. Rather, the burden of proof that the man was mentally competent at the time of the attack lies with the prosecutors.

The trial takes place three and a half years after the murders.

The reason for this is that the criminal proceedings stalled for over two years after several doctors declared the man mentally incompetent to stand trial – meaning he could not understand the proceedings and could not defend himself.

After treatment and medication, the judge ruled in fall 2023 that the man's sanity had been restored.

If the man is found guilty of any of the murders, he would have to spend the rest of his life in prison without the chance of parole. If he is found not guilty by reason of insanity, he could be committed to a mental institution where he would be treated until he is no longer a danger to himself or others.

Contact 9NEWS Investigator Kevin Vaughan with tips on this or any other story: [email protected] or 303-871-1862.