JUDGE

Opening Statements Likely in Doctor's Cyanide Trial

Lawyers were expected to present opening statements Thursday in the trial of a University of Pittsburgh medical researcher charged with killing his neurologist wife with cyanide.  But when that happens will be determined by a last-minute problem with two alternate jurors.

Allegheny County prosecutors and attorneys for Dr. Robert Ferrante, 66, on Wednesday finished picking the 12 jurors and four alternates for the trial.

But two of the alternates told Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning that serving on what's expected to be a three-week trial would be a hardship.

As such, the judge and attorneys must meet Thursday morning to determine whether to pick two new alternates, which could delay opening statements until the afternoon.

Ferrante is charged with criminal homicide for allegedly lacing an energy drink with cyanide to kill 41-year-old Dr. Autumn Klein in April 2013 after telling her the drink would help them conceive another child. Their daughter, Cianna, was 6 when her mother fell suddenly ill and died three days later.

Ferrante has denied the allegations and has said through his attorneys that he's "devastated" by her sudden death. But authorities contend he bought the poison with his University of Pittsburgh credit card two days before his wife became ill, and that someone used his computer to research whether treatments his wife received after falling ill would have removed the toxin from her system

Ferrante had his wife cremated shortly after her death, but tests on her blood stemming from her hospital treatment revealed the cyanide, prompting police to charge him about three months after she died.

Defense attorneys William Difenderfer and Wendy Williams had sought an out-of-county jury based on pretrial publicity. Although county Judge Jeffrey Manning granted their request, the defense decided without explanation a few weeks ago to pick a jury locally.

A court-imposed gag order prevents the attorneys and witnesses from commenting until after a verdict

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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