Jury selection opens for Phoenix shooter

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PHOENIX, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Court officials expect as many as 3,000 potential jurors will be questioned as a panel is selected to hear the so-called "Serial Shooter" trial in Phoenix.

Jury selection began Wednesday in the trial of Dale Hausner, who is charged with more than 90 crimes stemming from an alleged 14-month crime spree that left eight people dead and 17 injured.

The Arizona Republic said Wednesday it would likely be the end of the month before the prospective jurors are whittled down to a panel of 20.

The trial is expected to last eight or nine months and may include testimony from Samuel Dietman, Hausner's alleged accomplice in 2005 and 2006 and who has pleaded guilty to murder.

The Republic said a hearing was held Tuesday to determine if Dietman would be allowed to testify about "previous bad acts" committed by Hausner prior to the serial shootings.

Prosecutors dropped some 40 counts against Dietman, although he still faces the possibility of the death penalty in the eight homicides.