Jury questionnaires remain sealed

Delucchi first ruled in mid-February, agreeing with attorneys on both sides that the decision helps maintain jurors' privacy and provides Peterson a shot at a fair trial. Publicizing the answers would likely discourage people from wanting to serve on a jury, he said.

"It's hard enough as it is now to seek a fair and impartial jury in this case," he said.

The decision goes against the argument by media attorney Karl Olson that the public is entitled to seeing the documents because they are the basis for defense attorney Mark Geragos possibly seeking another venue. Olson said that the public - comprised of taxpayers - deserves to know if the questionnaires justify their tax dollars being spent on another location change.

Delucchi disagreed, noting that the trial has already garnered more publicity than the infamous California murder cases of Charles Manson and O.J. Simpson.

Geragos has consistently maintained that "fringe" elements of the media will try contacting jurors and may post their personal information on the Internet.

Delucchi has tried minimizing exposure by having them only referred to by their juror number. Attorneys agreed that close scrutiny of the questionnaires by reporters could still reveal their identity.

Olson did not know whether his clients would appeal the decision.

After the ruling, Delucchi continued presiding over jury selection in the double-murder trial. With opening statements tentatively set for May 17, there is less than two months to sit 12 jurors and six alternates.

The process has been slow-going so far. On Monday, during the first day of individual interviews, only one potential juror out of 13 was ordered back. More than 1,000 people were initially summoned for trial but about two-thirds were excused for hardship.

Those who are chosen to sit will decide if Peterson is guilty of murdering his 27-year-old pregnant wife, Laci, and the couple's unborn son. If the verdict is guilty, the jury then weighs whether to impose life in prison without parole or the death penalty on the former fertilizer salesman.

Opinions on the death penalty are the crux of the ongoing interview process known as Hovey voir dire. The jury questionnaires also set aside a page for the same thing.

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 104. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.