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Jury Picked In Trial On Slaying

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By TODD LESKANIC, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 2, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - Attorneys weeded through more than 50 potential jurors Monday before settling on 12 jurors and one alternate to weigh the evidence in Phillup Alan Partin's murder trial.
Opening statements are set to begin this morning in the case.

Partin, 42, is accused of killing 16-year-old Joshan Ashbrook of New Port Richey.

Electric company workers found Ashbrook's body beside Shady Hills Road on Aug. 1, 2002. Her throat had been slit and her neck broken.

Authorities in Fayetteville, N.C., arrested Partin in October 2003, a month after a Pasco County grand jury indicted him on a charge of first-degree murder.

Partin has pleaded not guilty. He could face the death penalty if found guilty of first-degree murder. His trial could run as long as two weeks.

Partin has elected to wear his blue jail jumpsuit for the trial instead of civilian clothes.

Most defendants opt to wear regular clothes during trial to foster a basic legal premise: innocent until proved guilty. Jurors are not told whether defendants are in custody and generally don't see any restraining devices they may be wearing.

Attorneys spent about nine hours Monday questioning prospective jurors on a slew of topics, including their beliefs about the death penalty and other possible biases.

Partin sat nearby, looking more bored than anything else. At one point, Circuit Judge William Webb asked defense attorney Bill Bennett if he was consulting Partin on the selection of jurors.

'Judge, he just told me to do whatever I want,' Bennett replied.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at tleskanic@tampatrib.com or (727) 815-1084.

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