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Komisarjevsky Defense Lawyers Block Two from Jury

Jury selection ends for the week.

The defense used peremptory challenges today to keep two individuals from sitting on the jury for the trial of accused Cheshire home invasion killer Joshua Komisarjevsky.

No jurors were added to the jury on Thursday, the sixth day of jury selection. So far only three jurors have been picked, but attorneys said from the outset that jury selection would probably take more than two months.

Each side has 40 peremptory challenges, which they may use to keep someone off the jury without giving a reason. The prosecution has used one so far, and these were the third and fourth used by the defense.

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Those questioned today were left over from the panel that reported Wednesday. Each panel consists of 40 to 45 prospective jurors.

Thursday’s proceedings wrapped up the courtroom drama for the week. Judge Jon C. Blue previously announced he would follow a four-day schedule for jury selection.

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Komisarjevsky, 30, is charged with kidnapping and robbing a Cheshire family in 2007 that led to the murders of the mother, Jennifer Hawke-Petit, and her two daughters.

His co-defendant, Steven Hayes, 47, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to be executed.

The case generated a great deal of news media publicity. Most people who have been questioned during jury selection said they heard about it and have strong opinions about it.

Those include feelings of revulsion toward Komisarjevsky, who is also charged with raping the 11-year-old daughter before she and her sister died in a fire the kidnappers ignited as they made their escape.

Komisarjevsky denies setting the fire, blaming Hayes for the murders, but during his trial, Hayes blamed Komisarjevsky.

Earlier this week, two prospective jurors were dismissed when they refused to sit in the courtroom with Komisarjevsky present.

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