CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A jury of 12 has been picked to hear the double murder trial of George Thomas for the January 2007 carjacking, kidnapping, rape and murder of Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23, Volunteer TV's Mike McCarthy reports from Chattanooga, where the jury is from.

The 12 primary jurors consist of one black woman, five white men and six white women. The five alternate jurors are two white men and three white women.

There was originally a black man on the jury, but he told the judge that his sister was murdered, and seeing graphic pictures could bring the memory of her death back for him.

The judge consoled the juror, but tried to tell him he needed to follow through on his selection: "You've been picked. We needed to know about that a long time ago. You're on the panel, buddy.We particularly need you because you're African American. I'm sorry about your sister, don't get me wrong, but we need you on this case."

When the judge told the defense they had a chance to question the juror, just like everyone else, defense attorneys had this to say: "We didn't have a chance to question him about that. We're the ones concerned about this; now that it's been brought out, it may affect (the jury)."

The judge has decided to dismiss the man from the jury, at the request of the defense.

Stay connected to Volunteer TV News and VolunteerTV.com for continuous coverage of this developing story, and for live streaming Web coverage of the trial, once it starts on Dec. 1.