CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Jury selection begins Monday morning in Kanawha County Circuit Court in the murder trial of Joshua Phillips.
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Phillips, 39, of Charleston, is charged with first-degree murder in the 2020 death of Charleston Police officer Cassie Johnson.
Phillips shot Johnson during an altercation on Dec. 1, 2020 on Garrison Avenue. Johnson returned fire on Phillips. Johnson died two days later. Phillips was hospitalized for several days.
Officer Johnson was answering a parking complaint when the altercation took place. Prosecutors allege Phillips was in the area for a drug deal.
Phillips told a reporter recently the shooting was self-defense.
A grand jury indicted Phillips on counts of murder, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and four drug charges.
During a hearing last week, Phillips’ attorneys asked Kanawha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey to grant a change of venue because of the publicity surrounding the case. Bailey said she plans to move forward with jury selection Monday but left the door open for a possible venue change if there are problems with seating a 12 member jury.
“I think it would be prudent to hold the ruling in abeyance which I will do. We will go forward with a voir dire of the jury. Hopefully with the benefit of the questionnaire and there may be some jurors that parties can agree with,” Bailey said during last week’s hearing.
In a pre-trial order regarding media coverage of the trial, Bailey said the Court expects approximately 70 potential jurors to report for jury duty Monday.
Jury selection is set to begin at 8:30 a.m.