DETROIT (WXYZ) — The trial of Desmond Burks has officially begun in the murder of Dr. Devon Hoover, with jury selection starting Tuesday at Wayne County Circuit Court.
Watch Ruta Ulciniate's video report:
The neurosurgeon was found dead inside his home in Detroit's Boston Edison district in April 2023. Burks is charged with allegedly shooting Hoover and hiding his body in a crawl space at the doctor's home. The two men were allegedly intimately involved.
Around 120 potential jurors filled the courtroom Tuesday in what is expected to be a lengthy trial lasting approximately six weeks.
"Any murder case is going to be significant, but this one has extra elements that make this story hard to ignore," said Adam Wright, a law professor at the University of Detroit Mercy Law and a former federal prosecutor.
Wright described it as one of the more high-profile cases in the Detroit area, involving a prominent and successful doctor's death.
"Given how long the investigation took, it is, I think, understandable that the world will be watching how the evidence comes out at the trial," Wright added.
Watch our previous coverage of the case below:
During jury selection, Judge Paul Cusick spoke to over 100 potential jurors about their expectations. All received questionnaires designed to streamline the selection process, including questions about prior knowledge of the case or any preformed opinions.
"You just want to watch out for someone who has a conflict of interest or any extra information that might prejudge the case. They'll take their time to make sure that they get an impartial jury," Wright said.
Several potential jurors were already dismissed Tuesday for either discussing the case with others over the phone or having ties to attorneys involved in the case.
Watch our coverage of the third day of the preliminary hearing below:
Hoover's family, based in Indiana and other states, will attend the trial once a jury is seated. In a statement, they told 7 News Detroit:
"As a family we remain heartbroken over the loss of our brother. We have been very grateful to the many people of the criminal justice system who have worked so hard to bring this case to trial. We are grateful to God for being with us and giving us strength through these truly difficult days. We have no hatred for Desmond Burks, and have chosen to forgive him. We release any desire for revenge and allow our system of justice to do whatever it needs to do, to keep our communities safe and to punish evil."
Jury selection continues Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
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