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Jury Selection Delayed In Selenski Trial

WILKES-BARRE — After years and years of delays, the second Hugo Selenski murder trial was supposed to start with jury selection on Monday but the wait con...
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WILKES-BARRE -- After years and years of delays, the second Hugo Selenski murder trial was supposed to start with jury selection on Monday but the wait continues.

The judge postponed jury selection until later this week while more legal wrangling played out at the Luzerne County Courthouse.

Selenski arrived at the Luzerne County Courthouse on a day when jury selection was supposed to start in his second murder trial. Instead it was just another day with legal arguments in his case.

The first argument centered on Paul Weakley, an alleged accomplice in this case. He first told prosecutors he wouldn't testify in this trial. Prosecutors were trying to get previous testimony of his admitted for the trial, but then in a turn of events, they dropped that matter, leaving it open that Weakley could still testify.

Prosecutors say Selenski and Weakley killed pharmacist Michael Kerkwoski and his girlfriend Tammy Fassett in 2002. Their bodies were among the remains of at least five people found in Selenski's back yard in Kingston Township. A jury cleared Selenski in his first trial for two of the other victims.

A lot has changed at the Luzerne County Courthouse in the nine years since Selenski's last trial. There are new judges, new district attorneys but one thing has stayed the same: waiting for this trial to begin.

In all that time, witnesses have died, including Ernie Culp. Selenski's former neighbor was another reason for the delay in jury selection.

Prosecutors asked a judge to admit Culp's prior testimony about activity he saw at Selenski's home.

The judge decided Culp's previous testimony can be used at trial.

Prospective jurors are to report to the courthouse Wednesday morning to fill out questionnaires then jury selection is scheduled to start Thursday.

For the latest from the courthouse, click here for a live blog.

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