Oregon Standoff Trail Day One: Jury Selection Gets Underway

They worked through lunch but it still wasn't enough time to pick a jury. But the trial of seven people in connection with the 41-day armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is no simple trial.

The trial got underway on Wednesday with the first 31 prospective jurors being questioned. The process will continue on Thursday and Friday. The process will continue a jury of 12 and eight alternates are selected.

The trial is expected to last three months.

Judge Anna Brown spent more than four hours questioning the potential jurors. Lawyers for the defense and prosecution then got to argue over which people should be let go.

She asked a variety of questions including whether they had been exposed to the case and whether they were members of the Mormon church.

When Judge Brown was questioned by the lawyer for Ammon Bundy about the heavy security, she informed the court she was told it was necessary because of threats to her.

In the end, 11 of the 31 were dismissed - three for cause (for example, one man who was a birder who had strong feelings about the refuge) and eight for hardships (such as caring for a sick relative).

Just because a lawyer objected to someone being in the pool didn't mean the judge honored their request. She kept people in the pool over objections from both sides.

Sixty more jurors will be interviewed on Thursday and 60 more on Friday.

Judge Brown has tentatively scheduled opening arguments to begin on Tuesday.

Once the trial gets underway, it will run four days a week.

For more on the trial, head here.

Photo Multnomah County Sheriff's Office