Former San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds faces federal charges that he lied when he told a grand jury in 2003 that he had never knowingly taken steroids, but before the trial can really begin, a jury has to be selected. Especially when the defendant is a record-setting baseball player, this process is a game in itself.
ABC News reports that the defense wanted to know whether jurors thought they could stay off the Internet during the trial, if they believed Bonds had already been tried in the court of public opinion and whether any had ever sold sports paraphernalia.
One juror said he would be reluctant to render a judgment against "a great athlete like Mr. Bonds."
One said that she was "still getting over the baseball charters" she worked during her career as a flight attendant (we're guessing the players weren't the best passengers).
Another felt that Congress shouldn't bother with hearings on steroid use when there are greater concerns, like the national debt (sounds like an excuse that could be tailored to get off of just about any jury).
One admitted to collecting signed Oakland A's jerseys (perhaps revealing potential bias against the Giants?).
The trial is expected to last about four weeks. Watch a news report on today's developments here:
Read more at ABC News.
In other news: Where Are the Donations for Japan?