Jury selection begins for wife of the Orlando Pulse gay club shooter accused of helping her husband plan the attack

Jury selection has begun in the federal trial of Noor Salman, who is accused of helping her husband, Omar Mateen, shoot and kill 49 people in Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in 2016.

On Thursday morning, US District Judge Paul G Byron began questioning jurors one-by-one about their knowledge of the Pulse nightclub shooting and whether they knew anyone connected to the incident or the case.

It took 30 to 40 minutes to question the first potential juror, who was eventually dismissed. Once a jury is selected, the trial could last five weeks, Byron said.

The case hinges on whether Salman knowingly helped Mateen plan the attack; prosecutors say she knew of her husband’s plans, but she denies the claim.

Mateen called 911 from the club to pledge his allegiance to the Islamic State and other Islamic extremist groups.