OSWEGO -- Opening statements are scheduled to begin Wednesday morning in the murder trial of Alan Jones. Jones is charged with second degree murder in the death of his stepsister, Erin Maxwell, who died on August 29th of last year.
A jury of 12 men and two alternates (one male, one female) was selected out of a pool of 67 prospective jurors in Oswego County Court on Tuesday. Prior to jury selection, defense attorney Salvatore Lanza and prosecutor Donald Dodd held a conference with Judge Walter Hafner to set certain parameters regarding evidence and testimony at the high profile trial. It was decided that while the autopsy of Erin Maxwell listed sexual trauma as a contributing factor in her death, because there is no mention of it in the indictment, that aspect of the case will not come out during the trial.
District Attorney Donald Dodd does not intend to bring up the living conditions the 11-year-old was allegedly subjected to in a house described by state police as deplorable. Nor will they bring up any testimony indicating she may have been starved. Dodd will however point out that Maxwell was locked in her room as part of the evidence, over the objections of defense attorney Lanza.
The prosecution intends to call about 20 witnesses, and the defense expects to call 33.
Jurors have been instructed that the trial could last as long as a month.
