This podcast is an interview with Brazos County local administrative judge Steve Smith and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Brazos County's first jury trial since February is underway.

Local administrative judge Steve Smith, who is presiding, says the Texas office of court administration (OCA) gave the go-ahead to due fewer coronavirus cases.

That's after the OCA cancelled a couple of jury trials scheduled in July.

More than 50 potential jurors spent Monday in the Brazos County administration building, where there is more room for social distancing.

The trial began Tuesday in the courthouse with some of the 12 jurors and one alternate in the jury box and the rest seated in part of the gallery, again for social distancing.

Smith said the jurors were given face shields so their masks could be lowered. That allowed lawyers to watch the facial expressions of the jurors. The judge said the face shields, supplied by the county, will be kept by the jurors following the trial.