Jury selection started today in murder trial of Darrick Bellecourt
Jury selection began today in the trial of Darrick Bellecourt, the 18-year-old Brainerd man accused of the Oct. 13 murder of Zackrey Peterson.
Crow Wing County Court Administrator Darrell Paske said about 60 potential jurors have been called. Attorneys will select 12 for the trial, as well as a number of alternates. The trial will be heard by Crow Wing County District Court Judge Fred Casey.
Representing Bellecourt is Minneapolis attorney Trudell Guerue Jr. Representing the state of Minnesota is Crow Wing County Attorney Don Ryan and assistant county attorney Candice Prigge.
Bellecourt was charged as a juvenile Oct. 15 with second-degree murder for the shooting death of Peterson, who at the time was a sophomore at Brainerd High School. Bellecourt was certified to stand trial as an adult at a Jan. 22 court hearing.
According to court records, Peterson confronted Bellecourt, the night of Oct. 13 in a downtown Brainerd apartment, about a theft. Peterson pushed Bellecourt, and Bellecourt pulled out a handgun from his belt area and shot Peterson three times -- two to the chest and abdomen and one to the right arm. Peterson was pronounced dead at the apartment.