Cobb seats jury for Wade's trial
August 16, 1988
By Margaret Toal
Staff writer
Sherman - U. S. District Judge Howell Cobb seated a jury of 10 men and two women Monday to begin hearing testimony this morning. in the trial of former Orange County Sheriff James Wade.
Three alternate jurors, two men and a woman, were also chosen. They will listen to testimony and replace other jurors if needed due to illness or emergency.
Wade, 43 of Vidor is on trial for a 10-count federal indictment, including conspiracy to make and sell drugs, embezzlement of county funds and obstruction of justice. Wade has pleaded innocent.
Assistant U. S. Attorney Stuart Platt told prospective jurors the government had 55 to 60 witnesses and it will take "several weeks to try this case."
Defense lawyers Gary Richardson of Tulsa, Okla., and Jeff Kearney of Fort Worth used Boston sociologist James Burgund, a specialist in picking juries.
Burgund said he is pleased with the jury selected, though "you never get 100 percent the jury you want."
U. S. marshals had metal detectors outside the courtroom to screen spectators and they also searched through purses and briefcases as part of the security.
Cobb banned cameras in the Grayson County Courthouse, where the trail is being conducted because of remodeling in the Sherman federal building.
He moved the case to Sherman some 350 miles from Orange, because of pre-trial publicity. Only six of the 67 prospective jurors here said they had heard or read of the case.
Platt in his comments to the jury panel, said the allegations against Wade are that he gave "county property-money and evidence," to drug dealers.
Dome of the government witnesses will be drug dealers with drug convictions and some will have "a homosexual or bisexual lifestyle," Platt told the jury panel.
He also said jurors will get to smell methamphetamine, or "speed."
Cobb issued another gag order to attorneys and others involved on both sides of the case, prohibiting them from talking to the news media about prospective testimony and testimony that has been presented.
They also cannot speculate or predict what evidence will or will not mean in the case.
Wade is in good spirits and is confident he will be found innocent, his wife Neva, said.
Mrs. Wade was in court with close friend Betty Drake of Orange and supporter of George Ranier of Vidor Friends are taking care of the Wades two boys, ages 16 and 7, Mrs. Wade said.
She said she told her youngest son, Brent, that his daddy would be home for Christmas.
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