Jury selection underway in second retrial of Vaughn Jones

By Philip Jones
Reporter
Published: October 6, 2008

Jury selection is underway in Vaughn Jones’ second retrial in Craven County.

Jones is accused of the gruesome January 2003 murders of the Pamlico County couple he worked for.

Richard and Rosa Flowers owned Custom Steel Boatworks and Jones was employed at the business.

The Flowers also paid him to do odd jobs around their house and his close connection to the couple is part of what led Pamlico County Sheriff’s Deputies to believe Jones may have been involved in the murders.

Jones’ first trial came in fall 2006, when a Pamlico County failed to reach a verdict.

The trial was moved to Craven County and was re-tried last fall, but a jury once again failed to reach a unanimous verdict.

Jury selection may span over the course of several days and the trial is expected to run in to a second week, depending on how long jury selection lasts.

Jones has been held in the Pamlico County jail ever since his 2003 arrest.

There are some changes from the previous trials in store for this retrial. Former District Attorney David McFadyen led the prosecution during the first two trials, but has since been appointed special prosecutor for the James Johnson case in Wilson County and will not be prosecuting the Jones case. An assistant district attorney will now be in charge.

Judge Ben Alford presided over the first two trials, but Judge Ken Crow is presiding over this retrial.

Crow is not allowing our cameras in the courtroom.