Lawyers prepare for jury selection in deadly arson trial
Jury selection in the trial of suspected deadly arsonist Raymond Lee Oyler is expected to begin next month in Riverside Superior Court.
Prosecutors and Oyler's lawyer, Mark McDonald, approved questionnaires for potential jurors at a hearing Dec. 19, according to court records. The court wants to ensure jurors would be available through March, records indicate.
Lawyers have already discussed trial scheduling and witnesses before the court, and both sides are set to return Jan. 12 for jury selection.
Oyler, 38, faces charges stemming from numerous wildfires, including the 2006 Esperanza Fire in which five U.S. Forest Service fighters died when flames overtook them in the foothills near Banning.
Oyler faces 45 counts, including the five murder charges. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
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