Found Deceased AL - Aniah Haley Blanchard, 19, Auburn, Lee County, 23 October 2019 *Arrest* #7

[Niner]

Wednesday, March 4th:
*Jury Selection continues (Day 3) (Macon County) (@ 9am ET) - AL - Aniah Haley Blanchard (19) (last heard from Oct. 23, 2019 text with friend, Auburn, Lee County; car found early morning hours of Oct. 24 along South College St; officially reported missing Oct. 24, 2019; found Nov. 25, 2019 near Highway 80 in Shorter, Ala., which is about 25 miles east of Montgomery, Macon County off County Road 2 near New Hope Baptist Church several feet into the woods.) – *Ibraheem Yazeed aka Laquetta Nicole Lamar, Ibraheema Yazeed, Ibraheen Yazeed (29/now 36) arrested (12/4/19 in Escambia County) & charged (11/7/19 Lee County) with 1st murder & 1st degree kidnapping. Held with no bond. Lee County Case was moved to Macon County.
*Indicted (11/14/22), recharged & arraigned (3/6/23 in Macon County) with 1 count of 1st degree capital murder (during a kidnapping), 1 count of 1st degree murder (during robbery) & 1 count of 1st degree murder involving a victim in a vehicle. Plead not guilty (3/6/23). Held with no bond. DA will seek DP. Held in Lee County jail. 1/16/26 transferred to Macon County jail. Macon County
Trial was set to begin on 2/3/25 but was vacated by Macon County Circuit Judge William Whorton on 1/27/25 [case moved from Lee County to Macon County].
Jury Selection began on 3/2/26 in Macon County. Jury will consist of 12 Jurors & 2 alternates.
Trial set to begin after jury selection.
5th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Tom F. Young, Jr. presiding . Lead prosecutor Kenneth Earl Gibbs. Defense attorney William Whatley Jr.
Previous crimes & court info from 11/10/19 thru 2/6/26 & Jury Selection Day 1 (3/2/26) reference post #56 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...lee-county-23-oct-2019-arrest-7.724664/page-3
3/3/26 Tuesday, Jury Selection Day 2: As Tuesday’s sessions wrapped up, roughly 80 prospective jurors remained under consideration. The jury selection process is expected to take several more days before a full panel is seated. The third day of jury selection continues Wednesday, 3/4/26 at 9am at the municipal complex. Once a jury is seated, the trial will move to the Macon County Courthouse.

 

[Niner]

Search for impartial jury enters 3rd day for accused killer of Aniah Blanchard

The Yazeed trial pushed into a third day of jury selection, with dozens of potential jurors still under review.

www.wtvm.com

Mar. 4, 2026

TUSKEGEE, Ala. (WTVM) - New details from inside the Macon County Courthouse on Wednesday reveal how potential jurors are responding to questions about capital punishment as the third day of jury selection in the Ibraheem Yazeed trial continues.

The first courthouse session began around 10:45 a.m. with 12 prospective jurors seated in alphabetical order. Retired Circuit Judge Tom Young, appointed under the Alabama Speedy Trial Act of 2025 to shepherd the case toward trial, led a series of detailed questions about the death penalty and life‑without‑parole sentences.

Ten of the 12 jury candidates said they support the death penalty, and all agreed they could consider a sentence of life in prison. One potential juror, despite generally supporting capital punishment, expressed hesitation, noting Alabama has historically “gotten things wrong” in death‑penalty cases.

Judge Young asked whether anyone was morally or religiously opposed to the death penalty; no hands were raised. No one indicated they believed capital punishment should be automatic in every murder case, either. But when the judge asked whether each juror could consider a death sentence if the law required it in this case, the entire panel signaled they could. All 12 also said their personal views would not interfere with their ability to serve impartially.
[.....]
Jury selection began Monday with roughly 100 of the 450 residents originally summoned. Over the past two days, attorneys have narrowed that number to around 80 by asking jurors about their media exposure and familiarity with the case.

Yazeed faces three counts of capital murder. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

 

[Niner]

Here's another article

https://eu.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/crime/2026/03/04/aniah-blanchard-murder-trial-jury-selection-begins/88963141007/

Mar. 4, 2026
TUSKEGEE − Jury selection is underway in a capital murder case that has already led to a change in Alabama laws.
[.....]
Jury selection began March 2 in Tuskegee and is expected to take about a week. Opening arguments for the trial are tentatively set for Monday.