Jury selection in murder trial
Posted/updated on: June 3, 2026 at 8:20 am
TYLER – Jury selection for the trial of the man accused of the 2023 murder of an 18-year-old Tyler woman will begin in September. Jamaurea Jermaine Britton is accused of capital murder in connection with the September 2023 beating, strangling, and stabbing death of 18-year-old Dejah Hood, according to the police.
During a hearing on Monday, the state, defense and judge discussed scheduling ahead of the trial in the 114th District Court. Jury selection is scheduled to begin Sept. 14. The jury summons for a panel of jurors will be sent out in August. The trial is set for Oct. 5.
Documents show he admitted to beating Hood with a hammer, strangling and stabbing her before throwing her body into ravine behind the Hollytree Apartments in Tyler. Britton said he went into a “fit of rage” after Dejah playfully tugged his ear, reminding him of his ex-girlfriend.
The prosecution is seeking the death penalty in Britton’s case. If a person is found guilty of capital murder, they face the death penalty or life in prison without parole, according to Texas Penal Code
