Jury chosen in Darryl Mount wrongful death civil trial

BALLSTON, SPA, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A jury was chosen today in the Darryl Mount wrongful death civil trial. There will be 8 jurors consisting of 5 men and 3 women all of whom are white. Initially 16 people were screened but ultimately the jury was narrowed down to 8.

Darryl Mount remembered 10 years later

Mount was left comatose in 2013 after falling from scaffolding while being chased by police. He died in 2014.

The defendants from Saratoga Springs were seeking a summary judgment in the case and cited his fall as the sole cause of his eventual death. Mount’s family’s lawsuit claims that was not the case. In reviewing the case, the judge reviewed officer testimony and ruled the case cannot be resolved by summary judgment.

Race is a factor in this case, in that all of the officers involved are white, all of the jury members are white, and Daryl Mount, the man who died, was biracial.

Mount’s mother, who is white, interjected that Mount was Biracial in response to the defense consistently referring to Mount as black. Members of the jury agreed that that distinction was fair to note. One of the jurors however said color should not matter in this case. 

One of the prospective jurors said they attended black lives matter marches and noted the lack of diversity amongst jury candidates. She was ultimately dismissed.

Jurors with military backgrounds were even asked whether the military background of Tyler McIntosh, now Chief of Saratoga PD, would bias them. 

Finally, the jury was asked what amount of money they would be uncomfortable awarding Mount’s family.

One of the jurors simply responded, how much is a life worth?

This case is expected to span two weeks.