Not half way to a jury in Clemens perjury trial
By NEDRA PICKLER and MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press
Jul 11, 2011 8:53 AM CDT
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens leaves federal court in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2011, where jury selection continued in his trial on charges of lying to Congress in 2008 when he denied ever using performance-enhancing drugs. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)   (Associated Press)

Roger Clemens is still not half way to getting a jury in his perjury trial.

Jury selection resumed Monday in Washington federal court, where the ex-pitcher has been intensely watching questioning of potential panelists.

The first woman questioned was excused after expressing apparent confusion over the presumption of innocence for a defendant and the prosecution's burden of proving charges beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said she could not serve on the Clemens trial after the woman said she believes that people charged with a crime probably are guilty.

Thirty-six people need to be qualified before government and defense lawyers use their preemptory challenges to narrow the panel to 12 jurors and four alternates. Eighteen were qualified last week. Twelve have been turned away for reasons including medical issues, an inability to commit to a trial expected to last into August and biases against either Clemens or Congress for even investigating drugs in baseball.

Clemens is charged with six felonies for telling Congress under oath that he never used performance-enhancing drugs. He stands by the denial, but prosecutors say they can prove that is a lie.