Jury selection set for this week in trial for man charged in fatal Plymouth shooting
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The jury selection process is set to begin this week in the trial for a man who has been charged following a deadly shooting last summer on Highway 169.
Jamal Smith was indicted after 56-year-old Jay Boughton was shot and killed in Plymouth while he was on his way home.
Boughton’s son was in the passenger seat at the time of the shooting, which happened on July 6, 2021.
Prosecutors say they believe some kind of traffic altercation may have led to the shooting.
Smith, with his attorneys, in a courtroom sketch June 27, 2022. (Courtroom sketch by Cedric Hohnstadt)
For months, investigators pored over surveillance video looking for a suspect until a tip led them to an impounded vehicle linked to Smith.
RELATED: Plymouth police seek public’s help locating suspect vehicle involved in fatal shooting
As previously reported, Smith was arrested last September in Illinois and is now charged with first- and second-degree murder in Boughton’s death.
Prosecutors say Smith has a history of pointing guns at other drivers.
Smith’s defense team claims it was a passenger in Smith’s vehicle who fired the fatal shot.
Court convened at 9 a.m. Monday at the Hennepin County Government Center and the judge heard motions. Jury selection is slated to take place this week, with opening arguments after that, likely next week.