Policarpio Espinoza, 23, and his nephew, Adan Canela, 18, are each charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Each could face life in prison if convicted.
In opening statements, prosecutors will provide jurors with a roadmap of the evidence, which could include pieces of clothing with the men's and children's DNA on it and a taped statement Espinoza gave to police hours after the May 27, 2004, incident. If prosecutors plan to present a theory of motive, they could discuss it in their opening statement.
Defense attorneys can give their opening statements today or later in the trial, at the start of their presentation. In past interviews, defense attorneys said they plan to present theories of the crime that do not involve Espinoza or Canela, and they said they might name other suspects.
Retired Circuit Judge Thomas Ward, who was assigned to preside over the case, issued a gag order Wednesday night that prohibits lawyers from discussing the case outside of the courtroom.
Four African-American men and eight African-American women will hear the case. Six alternates - four black women, one white woman and one black man - are on hand in case replacement jurors are needed in the trial, which the lawyers expect to last until Aug. 7.
The jurors were selected from a pool of 375 residents that was whittled down over two days. The judge eliminated about 250 jurors through his questions on issues including how much they had learned about the crime through the media and whether anyone felt that their views about illegal immigrants - the defendants and the victims' family came here illegally from Mexico - would make them too biased.
Although nearly everyone acknowledged reading or hearing about the killings, no one stood up when the judge asked about immigration.
Next, prosecutors and defense attorneys had the chance to strike jurors for any reason other than gender or race. Attorneys for each defendant could have eliminated up to 20 jurors, but each struck only five. Prosecutors had 20 strikes and used five.
- Julie Bykowicz
