Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Jury Seated Monday

A jury has been seated in the murder trial of Linda McKinney.

McKinney, accused of murdering her husband, Jimmy, on May 28, 1999, was charged with first degree murder. This is a class Y felony with a penalty of 10 to 40 years or life in prison.

The trial began Monday, Nov. 22, at the Nevada County Courthouse.

She is represented by David Price of Magnolia, while Eighth Judicial District North Prosecuting Attorney Randy Wright and Joe Graham are representing the state.

It took all morning to seat the jury as Price questioned almost every potential juror called, excusing several, before a group of seven women and five men were finally sworn in.

Additionally, two alternates were chosen.

In opening statements, Wright said evidence will show McKinney purposefully killed her husband, who was shot three times.

He told the jury shell casings were found in a hall, while forensic evidence will show the victim had been shot once in the back with the bullet traveling through a chair.

A second shot to the victim was in the thigh region of the leg, while the fatal shot traveled on a downward angle, from left to right, from his neck, striking an aorta in the heart.

Price, during his opening statement, said she had been the victim of mental, physical and emotional domestic abuse at the hands of her husband.

He told the jury Jimmy McKinney was suffering from impotence, refused to seek medical help, blamed the problem on his wife and accused her of having an affair.

Price said she left him eight times from September until his death in May, returning each time after he promised the abuse would end, though it never did.

According to Price's statement, McKinney never admitted she shot her husband, but said he had been shot when she notified authorities after their altercation.