Fort Worth Court Stalls Jury Selection After Over 70 Jurors Leave

Over 70 potential jurors gathered in a Fort Worth courtroom on Friday, only to leave empty‑handed as the jury selection process stalled.

Jury Selection Process

The trial of DeAujalae Evans, a Fort Worth resident, began its jury selection after she was charged with intoxication manslaughter for causing the death of a peace officer or firefighter. Evans is accused of fatally striking Fort Worth Sergeant Billy Randolph last August while he was attending the scene of another crash on I‑35W. Court documents reveal that Evans told detectives she had taken ten shots before getting behind the wheel and was intoxicated at the time of the collision.

During the session, Evans appeared in court alongside her attorneys, prosecutors, and Judge William Knight. The judge and the legal team questioned each prospective juror, but after a series of excuses—ranging from language barriers to potential bias—there were not enough eligible jurors to move forward.

The Courtroom Atmosphere

No cameras were allowed in the courtroom, yet NBC 5’s Tahera Rahman sat in on the proceedings, noting that the session grew emotional at one point. The atmosphere was tense, with jurors visibly unsettled by the case’s gravity.

Emotional Juror Reaction

One juror entered the courtroom, saw Evans, and whispered, \”She killed him!\” or, \”She killed my friend!\” The juror broke down in tears. Judge Knight, after directing other jurors out, questioned the emotional juror. She explained that she had not known which case she was attending until she walked into the room and saw the defendant and her name. She added that she had known Sergeant Randolph since 1997, recalling that \”He came to poker nights, he came to swim parties,\” she said. She also mentioned that he had attended her wedding.

Next Steps

Evans remains in custody and was present for the proceedings. With the jury selection halted, officials announced that a new jury panel must be assembled and the selection process restarted. No date has been set for the next round of jury selection.

Key Takeaways

• Over 70 potential jurors were dismissed after jury selection failed to produce enough eligible members.
• The case centers on DeAujalae Evans’ alleged intoxication manslaughter causing the death of Sergeant Billy Randolph.
• Emotional juror reactions highlighted the case’s impact on the courtroom.

The trial will resume once a new jury is formed, but no timeline has been established.