Jury Selection for OJ Simpson

In Las Vegas, Nevada, OJ Simpson's defense wants to seat a racially diverse panel that has not prejudged the former pro football star based on his past.

On Tuesday, three panelists were dismissed while the day before, 16 were excused for various reasons.

Reports state that the initial jury pool of 500 had at least 50 blacks, and that defense lawyers had not shown a "systematic exclusion of a group."

Simpson, 61, and co-defendant Stewart, 54, have each plead not guilty to all 12 charges, including felony kidnapping, armed robbery, conspiracy, burglary, coercion and assault with a deadly weapon.

The men face prison time if convicted of armed robbery. A kidnapping conviction carries the possibility of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

 Blogger David D. Diamond is a Los Angeles based criminal defense attorney and an adjunct professor of law. 

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