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Jury selected for Pokémon Go murder trial

Prosecutors said former security guard Johnathan Cromwell shot 60-year-old Jiansheng Chen several times in 2017. Chen's family said he had been playing Pokémon Go at the time.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A jury has been seated in a first-degree murder trial involving a former security guard who allegedly shot and killed a man who had been playing a popular mobile phone game.

Johnathan Cromwell is accused of killing a man who had been playing Pokémon Go in his minivan in 2017.

Attorneys questioned a pool of 80 jurors on Tuesday and Wednesday in order to get the official 14 jurors they needed for the case.

Cromwell's attorney asked pointed questions of how media coverage of the shooting would influence their opinions on the case. His attorney also pushed for a change of venue arguing the jury could potentially be biased, but the judge disagreed after hours of jury questioning.

Opening statements in the case are expected to be made Thursday at 9 a.m.

Cromwell worked for the River Walk Association at the time of the shooting back in 2017. Cromwell claims 60-year-old Jiansheng Chen was a repeat trespasser and that Chen tried to run him over. According to his attorney, Cromwell acted in self-defense and that if he didn't shoot, he would have been hit.

From 2017: Man was playing Pokemon Go when shot by security guard, attorney says

However, the Commonwealth's attorney said there was no evidence Chen's car was moving and argued the bullet positioning proves Cromwell can't argue self-defense. The Commonwealth argued Cromwell first shot through Chen's driver side window, then moved to the front of Chen's car, shooting five more times.

Chen's family said he was playing Pokémon Go when he was shot. They filed a civil suit last monthasking for more than $5 million in damages.

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