700 people were summoned today for the jury selection on the murder-for-hire trial against Baton Rouge rapper Torrance Lil Boosie Hatch.
Out of the 700 people who showed up, 150 were chosen to fill out questionnaires about their religion, hobbies and personal interest in the case.
Hatch is accused of hiring a hit man, Michael “Marlo Mike” Louding to carry out the murder of Terry Boyd in October of 2009.
Out of the 700 people who showed up, 150 were chosen to fill out questionnaires about their religion, hobbies and personal interest in the case.
Hatch is accused of hiring a hit man, Michael “Marlo Mike” Louding to carry out the murder of Terry Boyd in October of 2009.
During a pretrial last Tuesday, Judge Michael Erwin ruled that the prosecution can use lyrics from Hatch’s records as evidence in the trial. Three specific lyrics are said to show personal intent in the first-degree murder trial: “187” “murk” and “cake.”
The defense argued that Hatch’s music had nothing to do with the case. The defense also eluded that the lyrics may have been altered in some way and for that reason the songs should not be played. Judge Erwin ruled that the prosecution cannot play the song in its entirety, nor can the full verse be read line for line. However, the three words in question can be used as evidence.
Louding originally denied any connection to Hatch, but later confessed to the Baton Rouge Police Department in regards to his involvement.
Interrogating detective with the Baton Rouge Police Department, Elvin Howard, gave witness to that confession. He says that Louding admitted to him that Hatch paid him $2,800 to commit the murder. The defense argued that Detective Howard did not make any attempt to verify if those funds were received by Louding.
The jurors that are selected will be sequestered and kept in a hotel away from their families until the trial is over. They will only be referred to by numbers and not names. The case is said to be one of the biggest in Louisiana’s history. Due to the high profile of the case, security will be increased at the court house.
– Saturn Douglas (@itsMyRealName_)
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Keep it tuned to TheSource.com as we follow the case with multiple updates coming throughout the week.
