Jury Selection For The 'Trial Of The Century'

Jury selection in the trial of James "Whitey" Bulger began today. Judge Denise J. Casper's "rule number one" for citizens called to jury duty: Ignore media coverage of the case. "Turn the page, change the channel, or close the screen," she told groups of prospective jurors as they filled out questionnaires today at the Moakley Federal Courthouse.

But, ignoring media coverage may well be impossible, as the trial of Boston's most notorious gangster is the highest-profile case the region has seen in some time. 675 people are in the jury pool. That group has to be whittled down to 18. And in many ways, jury selection is a revealing gambit that could give us a glimpse into the broader legal strategies.

Asma Khalid, WBUR reporter.

Joseph Krowski, Jr., criminal defense attorney.

WBUR, "Bulger is accused of playing a role in the murder of 19 people, including Tommy Donahue’s father. Donahue has attended every pretrial hearing. 'With all the motions and everything out of the way, we’re finally here,' Donahue said Monday. 'Let’s get this emotional rollercoaster on the way; it’s going to be a long haul.'"

Boston.com, "'Both parties have the right to a jury that is fair and impartial, one that is not biased or partial one way or another. That is, both parties are entitled to a jury that does not have its mind made up one way or another,' US District Judge Denise J. Casper told a group of potential jurors."