BOULDER, Colo. — A jury has been seated for the trial of a man who killed 10 people at a King Soopers in Boulder.
A total of 16 jurors, including four alternates, have been seated for the trial of Ahmad Alissa, who faces 10 counts of first-degree murder and 54 other charges in the March 22, 2021, shooting at King Soopers at 3600 Table Mesa Drive in Boulder.
The jury was selected from a pool of 1,500 prospective jurors.
Opening statements begin at 9 a.m. Thursday. The trial is scheduled to continue through Sept. 27.
The shooter's attorneys entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, meaning they acknowledged that he killed the victims but will present evidence that he didn't know the difference between right and wrong when he pulled the trigger.
With the shooter's plea, defense attorneys must present credible evidence that he was insane on the day of the attack but they do not carry the burden to prove it. Instead, prosecutors have the burden of proving that he was sane at the time of the crime.
The case stalled for more than two years after multiple doctors reported that the shooter was not mentally competent to stand trial, meaning he could not understand the proceedings and assist in his own defense.
After treatment and medication, the judge ruled in the fall of 2023 that the man's competency had been restored.
If found guilty of any of the murder charges, the shooter would be sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison with no chance of parole. If he were to be found not guilty by reason of insanity, he would be committed to a mental institution and treated until he was deemed no longer a danger to himself or others.
This article draws from previous reporting by Kevin Vaughan.