Jurors chosen to hear Chicago mob trial


The Associated Press
Published June 20, 2007, 5:50 PM CDT
A jury was selected today in Chicago's biggest organized crime trial in years.

Defense attorney Joseph Lopez says 19 jurors have been chosen. That's a jury of 12 and seven alternates.

Opening statements in the trial of reputed mob boss Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo and four other defendants are scheduled for Thursday morning.

Jurors will hear allegations against defendants accused of a racketeering conspiracy that included at least 18 murders.

Judge James Zagel questioned the anonymous potential jurors today. As he did yesterday, Zagel asked jurors about how much they know about the case and whether they could be fair.

Zagel previously took the unusual step of issuing a ruling that jurors' identities won't be revealed.

I came, I saw, I had no idea what was going on, I left.