Samuel Lamar Moore went on trial Tuesday in Mobile County Circuit Court, charged with murder in the October 2006 shooting death of Marco Little.The body of Little, 31, was found sprawled inside his Kimberlin Drive home near Old Government and Dawes roads, lying in what one police officer described as a “lot of blood.”...A motive for the killing was unclear. In testimony, the victim was described as a man who enjoyed dressing up as a woman and considered himself a transvestite.

And then there’s this joyful tidbit…
Patton, Phillips and Circuit Judge Rick Stout had a difficult time putting together a jury for this case.

Monday’s efforts fell by the wayside because, among other reasons, a significant number of potential jurors informed the court that due to their religious beliefs they might not be able to hear the case without prejudice.

Stout and company succeeded Tuesday in seating a jury that promised to consider the violent shooting death of a person—no matter what his sexual orientation—as unlawful and wrong.


Oy…

At least the judge recognized the possibility that prejudice might taint the jury and appears to be doing something about it. Too bad he had to remind the jury that murdering someone—even if he’s gay and/or a transvestite—might be wrong.

UPDATE: After a one-day trial, the jury took only 75 minutes to convict Moore of murder. BTW, a few more details about the murder: Moore shot “Coco” Little (who the defense called a “known transvestite”) twice in the head and the prosecutor “reminded jurors on Wednesday of how, according to Moore’s friends, the defendant had described Little’s death with contempt and inhumanity.”)