Feb. 14—EBENSBURG. Pa. — Jury selection for the 2022 New Year’s Day homicide case has been continued into Wednesday following hours of prospective juror interviews by attorneys on both sides.

Cambria County Senior Judge Norman A. Krumenacker III couldn’t disclose how many had been picked to serve on the jury for the Qwante N. Rose case, in which he’s accused in the shooting death of Jaydin Sanderson, but did speak positively about the process.

“Overall, we’ve got a great panel,” he said.

Roughly 100 prospective jurors gathered at the Cambria County Courthouse on Tuesday to be processed down to 14 for the trial that is still scheduled to start Wednesday.

Throughout the day, the judge repeatedly impressed on them the importance of their service on a jury and asked for the group’s patience.

“Jury duty is so important,” Krumenacker told them. “It’s so important for the commonwealth.”

Prospective jurors were introduced to defense attorney Ralph Karsh, of Pittsburgh, who’s representing Rose, and prosecutors Cambria County Assistant District Attorneys Joseph Green and Joel Polites, as well as the case at hand.

According to Johnstown police, two years ago, Rose and Sanderson attended a New Year’s Eve party at a residence in Stonycreek Township, and after dropping another person off the pair were traveling through the Hornerstown section of Johnstown — Rose in the backseat and Sanderson driving.

Rose allegedly pulled a semiautomatic handgun and fatally shot Sanderson in the head, according to authorities.

Her body was found in the parked vehicle New Year’s Day on Wood Street.

During the selection process, prospective jurors were asked about any conflicts, if they had any impairments that could prevent them from serving and similar inquires.

Krumenacker said one of the questions that expanded the time frame of the proceedings was if those in the courtroom knew anyone on the prosecution’s witness list.

It took both sides and the judge almost two hours to sort through those situations.

Then, around 1:30 p.m., the individual interviews began, which allowed the attorneys to delve deeper into a person’s background, and by 5:30 p.m., Krumenacker told those in the courtroom that they needed to return the next day to continue the selection process, which received groans from the group.

His final words before releasing them were a reminder not to do any research on the case and not to discuss it with anyone.

“I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate you being here,” Krumenacker said.

The trial will begin immediately after the final jurors are selected, and the judge expects the proceedings to continue through Friday.