Updated 01/10/2012 09:03 PM
Third Wayne Oxley trial begins
It's been seven years since the 2005 murder of Bernard Trickey Jr. at his home in Ogdensburg. And Tuesday morning, Wayne Oxley's third trial for that murder began. Our Cara Thomas tells us how this third trial is starting off slowly and may be another long process in the making.
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ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY, N.Y. -- On Tuesday morning, hundreds of jurors were summoned to the St. Lawrence County Court House with the possibility of being chosen to be on the jury for Wayne Oxley's third murder trial.
Oxley is accused of beating his neighbor, Bernard Trickey Jr., to death with a baseball bat in 2005 at Trickey's home in Ogdensburg. To this day, Oxley still claims his innocence.
"I did not kill Bernie Trickey and I was not there that evening," he said.
Oxley's first trial was held in 2006. Jurors unanimously found him guilty and Oxley was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. But soon after the trial ended, new evidence surfaced of a witness who claimed seeing another man kill Trickey.
The Appellate State Supreme Court ordered a new trial, which began in 2010, but after two months of testimony and arguments, the jury was unable to make a decision, ending with a hung jury. Now, a third trial begins.
Oxley said, "It's very upsetting and nervous, nerve racking. I'm just waiting for my attorney to come out, go in there with my head held high and go through this again for the third time."
Oxley comes into this trial with a new defense attorney, Peter Dumas, and also a new investigator.
"Hopefully he's going to be able to put a new face on the facts," said Oxley.
Tuesday was the first day of jury selections and by the end of the day, no jurors were seated. The judge warned the jury pool that with at least 130 witnesses expected to be called to the stand, the case may last two months or more, meaning this case could be just as long as the last two trials.
Jury selection will continue Wednesday. Defense Attorney Peter Dumas says he believes jury selection will take the rest of the week.