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Managing Risk 2018

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; After a lengthy selection process, a jury has finally been seated for the trial of Keith Williams.</p><p>Williams, 42, is accused of fatally shooting Brock Earnest, 40, after Earnest came to his Fairmount Township home in January 2017.</p><p>Attorneys took plenty of time to choose jurors, taking up all of Monday and the bulk of Tuesday in the process, interviewing each of the 80 candidates individually.</p><p>Finally, around 3 p.m. Tuesday, a jury was put together, comprised of nine women and three men. One man and one woman were also selected to act as alternate jurors.</p><p>Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas, who is presiding over the case, allowed jurors an hour recess, ordering them to return at 4 p.m. so they can be given instructions and sworn in. After the recess, Lupas said one of the jurors had learned of a family emergency and had to be excused. She was replaced by one of the alternates.</p><p>Williams stands accused of killing Earnest after a playful fight turned violent.</p><p>Earnest came to Williams&#8217; home Jan. 12, 2017, after he was invited by Williams&#8217; girlfriend, Diedre Depiero, authorities report.</p><p>The men went outside to fire off shotgun rounds. After coming inside, Depiero told police they began to fight playfully. But Earnest began shouting at Williams, telling him to &#8220;fight back,&#8221; court records state.</p><p>Williams allegedly responded by retrieving a shotgun from a bedroom, and firing a round at Earnest&#8217;s chest, killing him.</p><p>Opening arguments will start Wednesday morning. Williams&#8217; trial is likely to continue for the rest of the week.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Williams </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/web1_web1_web1_web1_williams-keith-m-10-1-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Williams </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Jury finally seated in Fairmount Twp. homicide trial; opening arguments start Wednesday