The State Attorney of Florida’s First Judicial Circuit in Marianna, Florida started the jury selection process for the trial of former Jackson County, Florida Sheriff’s Deputy Zachary Wester’s trial on May 5, 2021.
The Clerk of Court summoned 600 potential jurors for the upcoming trial of Zachary Wester.
Wester was arrested on July 11, 2019.
Jurors were staggered in groups of 50 and reported to the Ag Center on Highway 90 for the jury selection process due to the number involved in the selection.
There were 21 jurors called before a panel of six jurors and three alternates were chosen to hear the trial that is scheduled to start Monday, May 10.
There were two females and seven males selected.
The trial will be held in the felony courtroom at the Jackson County Courthouse and will be heard by Judge James J. Goodman.
The office of the State Attorney of the First Judicial Circuit will prosecute the case. Wester is represented by Ryan Davis from Tallahassee.
FDLE agents arrested Zachary Wester, 26, on felony charges of racketeering, official misconduct, fabricating evidence, possession of a controlled substance and false imprisonment. Wester, a former deputy with Jackson County Sheriff ’s Office, was arrested in Crawfordville, Fla.
He is also charged with misdemeanor perjury, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
FDLE began its investigation in August of 2018 at the request of Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation showed Wester routinely pulled over citizens for alleged minor traffic infractions, planted drugs inside their vehicles and arrested them on fabricated drug charges. Wester circumvented JCSO’s body camera policy and tailored his recordings to conceal his criminal activity.
The trial is closed to the public inside the courtroom but will be available on the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit’s YouTube Channel.
– Courtesy Jackson County Times
