In Covington a jury has been seated in the sex crimes trial of former St. Tammany Sheriff Jack Strain.
Judge Bruce Simpson made the announcement on the second day of jury selection just before 4:30 in the afternoon.
The 12-member jury that will decide the fate of the former sheriff was questioned for up to four hours before the process was done. The five-term sheriff watched as attorneys for both sides grilled dozens of potential jurors over the past two days.
Strain was indicted for numerous sex crimes including four counts of aggravated rape.
The stakes couldn’t be any higher for Strain, who would be facing life in prison if found guilty of just one rape count.
Attorneys for both sides have been vetting citizens to determine if they can objectively deliberate in what will be an emotional proceeding.
Opening statements should begin this morning at 9 a.m. The trial could last up to two weeks.
Strain’s time in court will not end with this trial. In December he will go to a federal court on 16 corruption charges, each tied to an alleged kickback scheme at the work-release program he privatized as sheriff.
