Jury selection starts in O.J. Simpson armed robbery trial
The judge in Las Vegas says defense attorneys cannot ask potential jurors if they think O.J. Simpson is a murderer. He could face life in prison if convicted of robbery.
LAS VEGAS - The judge in O.J. Simpson's armed robbery trial today rejected a request from his attorneys to ask potential jurors if they consider the football great a murderer.
On the opening day of Simpson's trial, Clark County District Judge Jackie Glass turned down the bid by his attorneys, saying questionnaires filled out by the jury pool already asked about Simpson's other trials.
Simpson was acquitted in the 1994 slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman; a civil jury later found him liable for the deaths.
Simpson, 61, faces a dozen charges in connection with the alleged robbery of two sports collectibles dealers last September. He and codefendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart, 54, could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.
The court is scheduled to begin whittling down 248 potential jurors to 12 jurors and six alternates, a process expected to take a week or more. The prosecution and defense are each allowed eight peremptory strikes to reject candidates for jurors and three for alternates.
The judge, prosecutors and defense attorneys have already eliminated about half of a 500-person jury pool based on their answers to a 26-page questionnaire.
Simpson arrived about 7:30 a.m. at the Clark County Regional Justice Center, where a small crowd was waiting. He wore a dark jacket, white shirt and silver tie, and waved to well-wishers, some of whom shouted, "Good luck!"
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
ashley.powers@latimes.com
