Pulse shooting trial: Prosecutors file motion seeking to admit restroom 911 calls into evidence

ORLANDO, Fla. — Federal prosecutors on Sunday filed a new motion in the trial of the widow of a man who fatally shot 49 people and injured dozens more in a 2016 attack at Pulse Orlando nightclub.

The case hinges on whether Noor Salman knowingly helped her husband, Omar Mateen, plan the attack. She faces charges of aiding the support of a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death and obstruction of justice.

The motion asks the judge to consider admitting into evidence portions of 911 calls made by two hostages in a restroom and police radio transmissions. The calls capture what Mateen told his victims during the massacre.

WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said prosecutors will need to have the recordings admitted into evidence before opening statements begin on Wednesday.

Read: Pulse shooting trial: Gunman visited Disney Springs, Epcot, other nightclub, document says

Prosecutors argue that the 911 calls provide some of the only evidence of what happened in the restroom and that they demonstrate the nature and scope of Mateen's attack and his material support of the Islamic State group.

Christine Leinonen, whose son was killed in the mass shooting, said that she hopes the trial will help answer some of her questions about the attack.

"It's a daily nightmare," she told Channel 9 on Friday. "So it's not going to make the nightmare worse, but it might alleviate some of the nightmare -- getting to know some of the actual facts."

A seventh day of jury selection ended Friday with one potential juror shy of the necessary 56 people.

Of the 55 people who have been admitted into the jury pool, 34 are women and 21 are men.

The judge will narrow the jury pool to a panel of 18 people who will hear the case -- 12 jurors and four alternates. He said he expects the jury to be selected by Monday.

Cox Media Group