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Blind justice: Alleged killer drawn for grand jury
Computer picked name, not knowing man was in jail on murder charges
 AP file | Ronald Joseph Dominique, in a photo made available Dec. 4, 2006, in Houma, La., by the Terrebonne Sheriff's Office. |
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THIBODAUX, La. - A man charged with nine murders — and suspected in many more — was listed among potential members of a state grand jury to be seated next month.
Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court Bobby Boudreaux confirmed that serial killing suspect Ronald Dominique's name was on a computer-generated list in early June.
There's no chance of Dominique actually serving. State law forbids anyone indicted for a crime to serve as a juror.
"The fact that he is charged, that his case is in the courts, the computer doesn't know that," Boudreaux said Thursday.
Police say Dominique has confessed to killing 23 men over nine years. He has been indicted on nine counts of murder, and District Attorney Joe Waitz Jr. has said he will seek the death penalty.
Prospective jury members are drawn from a variety of sources, including voter registration lists and motor vehicle records.
The first person to notice Dominique's name was District Judge Randy Bethancourt's secretary, Frankie Clements. She said she starred it to draw the judge's attention.
Bethancourt was not in when a reporter called Friday.
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Jennie Callahan, 32nd Judicial District Court coordinator, said she has dealt with incarcerated prospective jurors before, but never for a grand jury.
"When it has happened to me, I have called to confirm that they are in jail," she said. "They can't get out of jail to serve on a jury so I put a note that the person is currently incarcerated."
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