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QINGDAO TODAY
在线翻译:
szdaily -> World -> 
Trial of Zhang Yingying’s case begins with jury selection
    2019-06-05  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

THE trial of Brendt Christensen, accused kidnapper and killer of visiting Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying in 2017, began Monday morning at a Federal courthouse in Peoria, Illinois, the U.S.

Christensen arrived at the courtroom at 8:40 a.m., wearing a blue button down shirt and tan dress pants.

Zhang Yingying’s father, mother and her younger brother all appeared at the court before 9 a.m.

The first trial day started with choosing potential jurors from the first panel of 16 people.

Sixteen potential jurors were called Monday morning and asked if they knew any of the lawyers, court clerks or potential witnesses, to determine whether a potential juror can be fair.

The lengthy witness list included about 88 potential witnesses from the prosecution, many of them FBI agents or biologists, and about 53 from the defense, including Christensen’s ex-wife.

U.S. District Judge James Shadid questioned the 16 candidates for the jury. He read off a lengthy witness list, which includes mostly law enforcement, but also members of Zhang Yingying’s family plus some University of Illinois employees and Christensen’s ex-wife.

Shadid also told the panel the case involves evidence of kidnapping, sexual assault and murder. The 16 potential jurors were asked whether they could judge the case fairly and were open to the death penalty.

Another group of 16 potential jurors were questioned in the afternoon.

Jury selection was expected to last about a week, but will now likely run longer as attorneys pare down the initial pool to a group of 70 jurors. From there, 12 jurors and six alternates will be selected to hear the trial.

Zhang, 26, went missing on June 9, 2017, after getting into a black Saturn Astra about five blocks from where she got off a bus on her way to an apartment complex to sign a lease.

Christensen was arrested on June 30, 2017, after being caught on tape pointing out people he described as “ideal victims” during a vigil in Zhang’s honor. On July 5, then U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long ordered that Christensen remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  (Xinhua)

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