O.J. jury questionnaire in question

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – A routine status conference for the O.J. Simpson robbery trial was a real eye opener for me on Friday afternoon.

Judge Jackie Glass told prosecutors and attorneys for O.J. Simpson that she has never seen such a lengthy juror questionnaire with so many questions. She put the attorneys on notice that they have a choice...stick with the questionnaire and stick with her requirement that "jury selection will not go on for a significant amount of time."

Judge Glass concluded by warning "if you don't want this, we can throw the jury questionnaire out the window"...and thus have more voir dire time face-to-face with jurors. Jury selection could be the most critical aspect to this case, so attorneys are going to have to think about Judge Glass's words carefully.

The other point from this status check that caught my attention: in denying one of Simpson's co-defendant's renewed motion for severance Judge Glass told attorneys "the only way they (co-defendants) won't go to trial together is if you pick up the phone" and work out a deal.

Hmmm. Could plea deals still be worked out? The big question all defendants need to consider here...will they be willing to serve time? Sources tell me any plea deal for Simpson and his two co-defendants would include jail time along with pleading to felonies. The defense, at least for O.J. Simpson, says no formal offers have been made, but jail time is not an option.

Jury selection for this case begins here on September 8th and at this point all jurors will begin the process by filling out the lengthy questionnaire.

Jean Casarez, In Session correspondent