William Clyde Gibson
Keith Henderson
Stephanie Kirk
Christine Whitis and Karen HodellaNEW ALBANY, IN (WAVE) - Potential jurors in the first William Clyde Gibson murder trial will be asked their views on the death penalty in a 200-question survey. The surveys will be sent in April.
Gibson is accused of burying a body in a New Albany backyard and confessing to three murders. During a pre-trial conference Wednesday, Floyd County Clerk Linda Moeller testified her office will be sending 800 prospective jurors a questionnaire.
The jurors will be selected from Dearborn County, Indiana and will be brought to Floyd County for the trial, scheduled to begin July 15.
"We're asking them: can you follow the law, can you have an open mind and if you are given this instruction, can you give the death penalty," Prosecutor Keith Henderson said.
Potential jurors will also have access to a 1-800 number connected to the Floyd County Clerk's office in case they have questions. "The surveys allow us to spend time with the jurors and gauge their background before we ever see them. The toll-free number is there if they have any questions along the way," Henderson said.
Police arrested Gibson last April and charged him with the brutal murders of three women. He faces the death penalty in two of the murders - of family friend Christine Whitis of Clarksville and of Stephanie Kirk of Charlestown.
Gibson is accused of stabbing Karen Hodella of Port Orange, FL. Her body was found in January 2003 near the Ohio River in Clarksville.
Medical professionals testified Gibson was mentally competent to stand trial.
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