Sandusky jury selection day one:

Began the day at Phase 3 of the jury selection process, but first we're told to wait in a back hallway behind the main courtroom where 220 prospective jurors are gathered. It quickly got interesting.  Within moments, Judge John Cleland and attorneys from both sides are in the same hallway.  Joe Amendola, Sandusky's attorney, when asked if they're ready responds, "This is like military duty. When they call you to serve you have to go". Prosecutor Joe McGettigan predicts we could be here for a week, trying to select a jury from Centre County but adds, "Give us 12 people and were ready to go".

That turns out to be the focus of the day. Once Presiding Judge John Cleland takes over jury selection kicks into high gear. He talks to the large group in Courtroom One and some of the prospective jurors are dismissed immediately. We never hear the prospective jurors’ names. As soon as they enter the courtroom, they're assigned a number and that’s how they're referred to while they're in the courthouse.  40 people were then selected to go to a smaller courtroom to face more questions. 10 of those we finally saw in Phase 3 of the questioning which is the most detailed and personal.  Judge Cleland asked most of the questions ranging from what they knew about the case, did they follow social media, or Facebook and blogs, to his most important question, "If I swear you in for jury duty can you listen to the evidence and make a fair and impartial decision?"

Some of the preconceived ideas of what would get you dismissed from the jury pool didn't matter here.  We saw potential jurors walk in wearing Penn State gear.  In fact one of the people selected wore a PSU Archery t-shirt.  At one point we hear a retired woman say her family has had Penn State football season tickets since the late 1970's. Sandusky's attorney even believed she should be dismissed, until Sandusky leans over and tells him, "I think she can be fair". The judge agrees and she's added to the jury pool.

But the biggest surprise is how fast the process went. Of the first three people interviewed in the final phase two ended up on the jury. By days end, nine people are selected which is more than half of the 16 needed.  Attorneys from both sides object to some of the selections, but with Sandusky sitting just a few feet away during the selection interviews Judge Cleland is hammering in the point, no more delays and picking a jury isn't going to slow us down.  Even if a jury is in place by Wednesday or Thursday, jurors are being told testimony in the case won’t begin until Monday.