Jurors for Heaggan-Brown trial will not have any contact with the public

12 women and 4 men have been chosen to decide the fate of a former Milwaukee Police officer charged in the murder of Sylville Smith. 

That group of 16 was narrowed down from 60 potential jurors, who were questioned Monday and Tuesday. 

For the first time in more than 20 years, those jurors will be sequestered at a local hotel. That means they will have no outside contact with the public, in an effort to preserve fairness throughout the trial. 

Those jurors were selected around noon, and given two hours to collect their belongings until the trial concludes. 

The court would not provide details on how that sequestration process works. 

Tuesday afternoon, the prosecution and defense both provided opening statements to the jury. Both statements focused extensively on body camera footage from Heaggan-Brown, and another officer on scene at the time of the shooting. 

      "You're going to see his second shot," said District Attorney John Chisholm. "That second shot when Sylville Smith is on the ground, unarmed, with his hands up by his head, with no place to go." 

The defense plans on proving Heaggan-Brown was acting in self defense, as Smith reached for his waistband. 

      "He was concerned, that he feared for his safety. That Mr. Smith, Sylville Smith, was reaching for a weapon," said Heaggan-Brown's attorney Jonathan Smith. 

On Wednesday, the jury will see their first pieces of evidence in the trial. Another officer at the scene at the time of the shooting is also expected to be called to the witness stand.