Jurors selected in psychologist sexual assault case
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A pool of more than 60 jurors were questioned and filtered down Tuesday to a narrow selection in a sexual assault case involving a Columbia psychologist.
Kurt Bumby, 53, was indicted by a grand jury in 2020 for sex crimes. Bumby is accused of two counts of second-degree sodomy in 2010 and 2011. A possible victim told authorities in 2019 that he and Bumby had a sexual relationship when he was in middle school.
The prosecution and defense on Tuesday asked questions to the pool of jurors to try and find things like biases, personal experiences and if there are things happening in their lives that may distract them from listening to evidence.
Through a multiple-hour process, the pool of jurors was thinned to the 12 that will be listening to the trial.
The prosecutor's office delivered their opening statements, painting a picture for the newly appointed jury of alleged events that landed Bumby in the courtroom.
According to the prosecution during their opening statement, multiple times Bumby would enter the room where the alleged victim was sleeping in Bumby's house and touch him inappropriately.
The defense waived its opportunity for an opening statement. The trial is set to resume at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. The judge said he believes the trial will not go on past Thursday.
He also faces a pair of sodomy charges in St. Louis County. A pre-trial conference is set for 9 a.m. Friday, March 17 in that case. A trial setting is set for 9 a.m. Monday, March 27.
Bumby also has a sodomy charge in St. Charles County. A disposition hearing in that case is set for 9 a.m. Monday, May 1.
