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227 jurors summoned for Villagomez trial
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Posted on Mar 10 2009
The federal court has summoned 227 prospective jurors from whom a select few will be chosen and empanelled to decide the fate of Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez and his co-defendants.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson ordered all trial lawyers in the case to be present for the pretrial conference on March 19 at 9am.
Munson, in his order issued on Friday, said that 150 summons were sent to prospective jurors last March 2 to appear on March 30 at 8am.
All jurors from the other jury pool consisting of 77 jurors were directed to appear on April 1 at 8am for the trial of Villagomez and co-defendants James A. Santos and Joaquina V. Santos.
At a federal jury selection in a criminal case, a judge will select 12 jurors plus one or two alternates from among a prospective jury pool.
After the jury selection, the prosecution and defense lawyers will then hold their opening arguments.
The March 30 trial of Villagomez and co-defendants is expected to fill up the courtroom.
The superseding indictment charged Villagomez and the Santos couple with bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, conspiracy to defraud and to commit offenses against the U.S., wire fraud, and theft concerning a program receiving federal funds.
The indictment alleged that Villagomez accepted a $15,000 bribe from the Santos couple for approving the purchase of Rydlyme, a cleaning and de-scaling chemical, for the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. The couple was also charged with bribery for allegedly offering the $15,000 to Villagomez. The three pleaded not guilty.
