Judge ready to seat jury in Clemens perjury trial

[July 12, 2011]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- The judge is nearly ready to seat a jury in baseball star Roger Clemens' perjury trial.

Attorneys for both sides spent three days intensely questioning 50 Washingtonians to weed out any who may have biases against Clemens or Congress for investigating whether he or other baseball players used performance-enhancing drugs. Clemens is charged with lying under oath when he said he never used steroids or human growth hormone.

Clemens' attorney pressed potential jurors not to hold it against Clemens if he chooses not to testify, his strongest hint yet that the ex-pitcher might not take the stand.

With preemptory challenges by both sides still to come, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton plans to seat 12 jurors and several alternates Tuesday afternoon for a four- to six-week trial.

[Associated Press; By NEDRA PICKLER and MARK SHERMAN]

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