Jury selection underway in the capital murder trial of Ibraheem Yazeed

Jury selection is now underway in the capital murder trial of the man accused of killing 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard in 2019.

34-year-old Ibraheem Yazeed was escorted into the Tuskegee Municipal Complex Monday morning.

This morning’s proceedings started as jurors stood up and introduced themselves.

After lunch, six people told the judge that they would not be able to be impartial because they were familiar with the case through media coverage.

At that point, 47 people were asked to stay, while everyone else was instructed to return Tuesday.

Blanchard disappeared from an Auburn gas station in October of that year. Her body was found a month later in a wooded area in Macon County.

Prosecutors say Yazeed was out on bond for kidnapping and attempted murder when he allegedly killed Blanchard.

Yazeed had pleaded not guilty to three counts of capital murder.

If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Jury selection will continue Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Once the jury is selected, the trial is expected to last roughly two weeks.