Jury seated for former football player O.J. Simpson's road rage trial

MIAMI (AP) _ An eight-member jury was selected behind closed doors Wednesday for the road-rage trial of former football player O.J. Simpson. <br><br>Jurors were selected over six days from a pool of 110

Wednesday, October 17th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MIAMI (AP) _ An eight-member jury was selected behind closed doors Wednesday for the road-rage trial of former football player O.J. Simpson.

Jurors were selected over six days from a pool of 110 potential panel members. They were questioned about Simpson's acquittal in the 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend. A civil jury later found him liable and he was ordered to pay dlrs 33.5 million.

Defense attorney Yale Galanter said Simpson had significant input into selecting the panel of six men and two women.

Opening statements in the road rage case were set for Thursday.

Simpson faces up to 16 years in prison if convicted of felony auto burglary and misdemeanor battery charges over an encounter with a motorist on Dec. 4, 2000.

Jeffery Pattinson says he honked and flashed his lights when Simpson's sport utility vehicle rolled through a stop sign. Simpson stopped and approached Pattinson's SUV, and allegedly reached in and pulled off his glasses.

The key piece of prosecution evidence is Simpson's thumbprint taken from Pattinson's glasses.

The defense has portrayed Pattinson as the aggressor. Testimony is expected to last up to three days.