L’Observateur / March 15, 2000

MARKSVILLE – The first-degree murder trial of Daniel Blank may start this weekend as jury selection picks up speed. St. John prosecutors andBlank’s attorneys have managed to select seven jurors after four days of questioning.

Blank is being tried for the murder of LaPlace resident Joan Brock.

Jury selection is taking place in the town of Marksville in Avoyelles Parish at the request of District Judge Sterling Snowdy. The judge ishoping a pool of jurors that hasn’t heard about the murder can be selected.

However, lawyers on both sides have had a hard time finding people even as far north as Avoyelles Parish who haven’t heard of the string of murders linked to Blank.

Eventually, there will be a total of 15 jurors -12 jurors and three alternates.

The seven chosen come from an original pool of 60 potential jurors. OnMonday, attorneys started questioning people from another pool of 70, and a third pool was to arrive today.

Snowdy hopes to have a jury picked by Saturday, and the trial will start on Sunday.

When the jury is finally picked, members will be transferred to St. JohnParish and sequestered for the duration of the trial. Right now, the sevenjurors picked are staying in a hotel in Marksville.

Blank, who has already been tried and sentenced to death for the murder of Lillian Phillipe of Gonzales, is also charged with the murders of Victor Rossi of St. Amant, Barbara Bourgeois of Gonzales and Sam and LouellaArcuri of LaPlace.

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