Negasi Zuberi Klamath Falls Kidnapping Trial: Jury Selection Underway

UPDATE: Drama and Surprise at Trial of Negasi Zuberi in Medford

MEDFORD, Ore. — The selection process for jury duty is currently underway in the trial of 30-year-old Negasi Zuberi at the Medford County federal courthouse. Zuberi is facing eight federal criminal charges, including kidnapping.

Klamath Falls Kidnapping Case Against Negasi Zuberi

Negasi Zuberi was arrested in July 2023 on allegations that he impersonated a police officer to take a sex worker to his Klamath Falls home that he rented with his partner and two children.

She was taken from an area near Seattle, WA. He is accused of using a weapon to hold the woman captive and sexually violating her during the interstate drive during stops. In Klamath Falls, she was placed in a cinder block captivity cell with a steel door built by Zuberi.

According to investigators, after beating the door open with her bare hands during her first day of captivity, the victim took Zuberi’s handgun from his vehicle. A passerby helped her escape and get to police in Klamath Falls. After a standoff in a parking lot, Police in Reno, NV, later arrested Zuberi where he had been found in his car.

At the time federal investigators believed Zuberi may have other victims in the US and the current trial includes a second victim.

Jury Selection In Negasi Zuberi Criminal Trial

Zuberi- of Klamath Falls, is facing eight federal criminal counts that include kidnapping, transportation for criminal sexual activity, weapons, and attempted escape charges.

Jury selection is taking place today at the James A. Redden Federal Courthouse in Medford. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Michael McShane and the lawyers in the case are screening prospective jurors in groups of 20.

The prospective jurors submitted written responses to jury duty questionnaires last week and the federal court swore in 39 jurors this morning to answer lawyer’s questions. Several prospective jurors said they have pre-existing travel plans or personal obligations but the judge indicated that was unlikely to get them excused from jury duty.

Two jurors were set aside- one whose mother had a heart attack and another who contracted norovirus.

Prospective jurors were asked about their perspectives regarding guns and gun laws, sex workers, law enforcement, credibility, bias, and fairness regarding aspects of the pending case.

Some had seen, heard, and/or read about Zuberi’s case from local news coverage but only one had developed an opinion about the case. As it prevents her from being objective, she was excused.

The remaining group was warned not to use media, including news coverage and social networks, effective immediately. They also may not talk about the case even to other jurors during the trial proceedings, starting with jury selection.

The questioning sessions included opinions about sex workers and their credibility. One juror admitted her religion would prevent her from treating a sex worker fairly and was excused.

Several others wanted more information about a person’s criminal background before deciding about a felon-weapon-possession charge but could follow a judge’s instructions.

Zuberi’s trial will be set down for hearing over a three-week period.