Jury selection wraps for the day in Saunders case

HALIFAX – Five out of 14 jurors have been selected for the Loretta Saunders trial.

Selection began Monday at Supreme Court in Halifax and lasted the whole day. Jury selection will continue Tuesday to pick the nine other jurors.

“It’s a slow process but it has to be with that number of people but so far, so good,” said Crown attorney Christine Driscoll.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's a slow process but it has to be with that number of people but so far, so good," said Crown attorney Christine Driscoll.

Blake Leggette and Victoria Henneberry are each charged with first-degree murder. Henneberry is also charged with accessory after the fact.

RELATED: Halifax police charge roommates in Loretta Saunders murder

Saunders went missing February 13, 2014. She was 26 years old and studying at Saint Mary’s University.

READ MORE: Family asks for help in search for missing Halifax student Loretta Saunders

Despite exhaustive efforts, her body was found in a wooded area off the Trans-Canada Highway in New Brunswick two weeks later.

Leggette and Henneberry were arrested in Ontario and brought to Nova Scotia to face the charges.

RELATED: Halifax police to seek return of pair in case of missing university student

“There’s a lot of information out there and this case certainly attracted attention. But we have no concerns that we can find a good jury who can sit and be unbiased,” Driscoll said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There's a lot of information out there and this case certainly attracted attention. But we have no concerns that we can find a good jury who can sit and be unbiased," Driscoll said.

Henneberry’s lawyer had asked the court that the two accused be tried separately, a motion that Leggette’s lawyer supported, but the court rejected it.

Four weeks have been set aside for their trial.

– with files from Canadian Press