Stanford jury selection resumes today

Jury selection in the $7 billion fraud trial of R. Allen Stanford will continue today because nearly half the pool had to be interviewed privately about special circumstances or possible bias, The Houston Chronicle reports. Court officials had scheduled one day for jury selection in the long-delayed federal trial of Stanford. On Monday, U.S. District Judge David Hittner asked each of the 80 prospective jurors for more details about their answers to a previously mailed questionnaire. In the afternoon, he excused 45 for the day and had 35 remain for individual questioning after they said they had strong opinions about the case or mentioned other problems with being jurors. “We certainly can’t select a jury today,” Hittner said, instructing the prospects to return at 10 a.m. today. After selection of 12 jurors and two alternates, opening arguments could begin later today or Wednesday morning. The 14 will not know until they begin deliberations which two will be alternates. The jurors previously answered a questionnaire about their familiarity with international finance, accounting and other specialties at the heart of the case against Stanford, who faces a litany of conspiracy and fraud charges. Many in the jury pool work in Houston’s key industries, including energy, banking, finance and engineering. Stanford, in a gray suit, was somber at the defense table, whispering occasionally to his lawyers. Houston Chronicle reporter Terri Langford is giving a blow-by-blow of the trial via Twitter, and you can follow the action at her feed here.