COVINGTON, Ga. – A jury was seated early Monday afternoon to hear the case of a former Newton County deputy accused of child molestation.

Daniel McGinnis, 32, is on trial charged with aggravated child molestation, incest and multiple counts of child molestation. According to an April 2014 report in The Covington News, he was arrested for allegedly touching a child inappropriately multiple times between 2006 and 2011. Newton County Assistant District Attorney Tabitha Rogers told The News he was indicted in early 2015, and then again last year on additional charges. 

It took Rogers and defense attorney David LaMalva just under three hours to pare the group of 48 potential jurors down to the 10 women, two men and one male alternate, who will decide McGinnis’ fate.

After the jury was selected, Alcovy Superior Court Judge Horace J. Johnson excused them until 8:15 a.m. Thursday morning. Testimony in the trial is expected to begin at 8:30.

LaMalva said he expects the trial to be finished Friday.