Abby Choi case seats 7 men, 2 women
SingTao · 4 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong’s High Court completed jury selection on September 24 for the trial over the death of model and influencer Abby Choi, ultimately seating a panel of seven men and two women. The court had earlier aimed to select nine jurors by public ballot, but many prospective jurors were excused for reasons including limited English, pre-booked travel, caregiving duties, illness and anxiety about the case. One woman was excused after saying she followed Choi on Instagram, while another said she disliked “Mr Kwong” and feared she could not be impartial; the judge ultimately granted her exemption on English-language grounds. The judge later told the jury that all three defendants deny murder, while Kwong Kau and Kwong Kong-kit differ on the separate charge of preventing the lawful burial of a body.
Key Points
- Deputy High Court Judge Brian Keith said the English-language trial is expected to last 40 days, with proceedings likely running until around November 20 or, if extended, jurors needing to keep time free until December 2.
- More than 100 people were summoned, over 60 prospective jurors were drawn, and the defence used all 15 peremptory challenges, opposing 4 men and 11 women.
- By the lunch adjournment, court staff had drawn 50 candidates but selected only five male jurors, with 43 excused and two placed on a reserve list
- One selected male juror was later replaced after saying he had difficulty reading the English oath aloud, although he could understand spoken English
- The three defendants are former brother-in-law Kwong Kong-kit, former father-in-law Kwong Kau and former husband Kwong Kong-chi, charged over allegations that Abby Choi was murdered in a Lung Mei Tsuen village house in Tai Po on February 21, 2023.
Why It Matters
The selection process showed how an English-language High Court trial can narrow the available jury pool in a long, high-profile criminal case, especially when many candidates say they cannot comfortably follow the proceedings. It also underlines the court’s effort to screen out potential bias in a case shaped by intense publicity and social-media attention, before evidence is heard from September 25.