SANTA MARIA, Calif., Feb. 1 -- The judge in the Michael Jackson child molestation trial Tuesday completed the first phase of jury selection after choosing 250 people as potential jurors to decide the pop singer's fate.
Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville found his pool of would-be jurors in just a day and a half. Twelve jurors and eight alternates now have to be chosen from the pool of 250.
Michael Jackson arrives at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse.
(Kevork Djansezian -- AP)
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The Michael Jackson Trial
Scenes from the jury-selection phase of Michael Jackson's child molestation trial.
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Photo Gallery: First Days of Jury Selection.
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Photo Gallery: Michael Jackson's curious career.
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Video: Michael Jackson arrives for the first day of his child molestation trial.
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Video: Journalists and Jackson fans outside the Santa Maria, Calif., courthouse.
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The 250 individuals picked for the jury pool will fill out a seven-page questionnaire about the case and will return Monday for further examination by the judge and lawyers in the case.
The 46-year-old Jackson, who is accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy, waved to fans and flashed a V for victory sign as he entered court for the second day of jury selection.
Perhaps attracted by the publicity surrounding the case, an unusually large number of potential jurors said they would be willing to give up work and other commitments to hear a trial that could last up to six months.
Former San Francisco prosecutor Jim Hammer said the fact that more than half of the people questioned agreed to participate "suggests that people want to be on this jury."
He added, "That's something that both sides will have to look out for -- perhaps that one stealth juror who wants to be on the jury with an agenda."
It could take a month or more before a panel is chosen to hear a case expected to provide a rare glimpse into the eccentric lifestyle of one of the world's most famous performers, legal experts said.
A grand jury returned a 10-count indictment against Jackson in April, charging him with lewd acts on a child under the age of 14 and conspiring to commit the crimes of abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. The indictment stems from accusations made by a recovering cancer patient, now 15.
Jackson has pleaded not guilty to the charges and vowed to be acquitted and vindicated at trial.
