COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Jury selection has continued into Tuesday in the murder trial for Blendon Township Police Officer Connor Grubb, who fatally shot Ta’Kiya Young outside of a Kroger in August 2023.
Grubb, 31, is charged with four counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault and two counts of involuntary manslaughter in relation to the deaths of Young, 21, and her unborn daughter.
Late last week, prospective jurors filled out a form with about 100 questions, including how much they knew about the case and their thoughts on police officers and the Black Lives Matter movement.
On Monday, prosecution and defense attorneys began questioning the prospective jurors on their answers. Attorneys resumed questioning on Tuesday morning, and by the end of the day, over a dozen individuals had been dismissed. Jury selection is expected to continue into Wednesday.
The purpose of the questioning is to determine if a prospective juror can be fair and impartial when hearing the case, by uncovering any conflicts of interest or potential biases. Attorneys are tasked with choosing a 12-person jury with four alternates.
Before the shooting, Young was captured on camera at the Kroger on South Sunbury Road stealing multiple bottles of liquor and leaving the building. A Kroger employee flagged down Grubb and another officer, both of whom happened to be in the parking lot helping someone get into a locked car, and told them Young had stolen alcohol from the store.
The officers approached Young’s car, with Grubb standing in front of the vehicle while the second officer stood by the driver’s side door. The officers repeatedly ordered her to exit the car. Instead, Young began to pull forward, resulting in Grubb’s feet being briefly lifted off the ground. At the same time, he fired one fatal shot into the car.
The trial is expected to last about two to three weeks.