By Patrick Tepoorten

Jury selection for the Craig Steven Fleming first degree murder trial got underway promptly Monday morning (Feb. 4), and is scheduled to take the bulk of the week.

According to lead prosecutor Fred Fink, prospective jurors are to be brought in to the court in two groups of 40 to receive questionnaires and instructions.

Juror interviews are not scheduled to begin until Tuesday morning, at which time they will be brought into the court room in small groups to be deposed by attorneys.

Attorneys for the prosecution and the defense, each looking for a favorable jury, will have the opportunity through the interview process to eliminate potentially unfriendly jurors. Defense attorneys have the opportunity to strike up to 15 prospective jurors and the prosecution has nine strikes in a first degree murder trial.

The process of whittling a jury in this case is expected to take until at least Thursday.

It is possible that opening statements and testimony could begin as early as Friday, but it could by Monday, Feb. 11 before the trial phase actually gets underway.

Stay tuned to “Fleming on Trial ” for daily coverage, beginning with opening statements and continuing through the verdict.

Craig Fleming: The back story