Jury selection to begin in former Orange County sheriff's corruption trial

Despite speculation in Orange County law enforcement circles that the case would end in a plea bargain before trial, all indications this week are that testimony would begin Oct. 28 as scheduled.

The jury candidates were chosen at random and notified by mail to appear today before U.S. District Judge Andrew J. Guilford. They are expected to listen to the charges against Carona and then fill out lengthy questionnaires that would ask, among other things, whether they have followed the case in the media or have any opinions about the charges.

Attorneys would use the questionnaires to narrow the field before Guilford questions potential jurors in person Oct. 22.

The U.S. attorney's office has accused Carona, who served for nine years as Orange County sheriff, of accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of cash, gifts and loans from people who expected favors from him. He also is charged with witness tampering for allegedly asking former Assistant Sheriff Donald Haidl to lie to a grand jury that was investigating the former sheriff.

Also charged in the case are Carona's wife, Deborah, and his former mistress, Debra V. Hoffman.

Deborah Carona is scheduled to stand trial separately. All three have pleaded not guilty.

Carona resigned from office in January to prepare for the trial. The Orange County Board of Supervisors appointed Sandra Hutchens, a retired Los Angeles County sheriff's executive, to fill out the remainder of Carona's term.

Neither prosecutors nor defense attorneys would disclose whether they are weighing a plea bargain. But some of Carona's closest friends said they expect the case to move forward.

"I know they're excited to go to trial. Their lawyers are optimistic," said Valerie Goldstein, a close friend of Carona and his wife. "He wants to get this over with. He wants to exonerate himself. He truly believes he is right, that he has the evidence to back up his integrity. He feels he can fight every allegation."

Carona has benefited by the decision of mega-law firm Jones Day to represent him free of charge, sparing him attorney fees that could have exceeded $1 million.