24 more potential jurors pre-approved in Zhang Yingying's case

CHICAGO -- Twenty four more potential jurors were pre-approved Tuesday to participate in the trial of accused kidnapper and killer Brendt Christensen, bringing the total number of qualified jurors in Zhang Yingying's case to 37.

As the jury selection continued on Wednesday from 9 am (1400 GMT) at the Federal courthouse in Peoria, the lawyers said they believe the judge can finish the task of picking 70 qualified jurors this week.

Wang Zhidong, legal advisor to Zhang's family, told Xinhua on Wednesday that the judge agreed to pick 70 qualified jurors by Friday, and then further pare down the number to 12 jurors and 6 substitute jurors on Monday next week.

"Opening statements from the prosecutors and the defense lawyers will start next Wednesday, which is the most important part for the trial," said Wang.

Following "opening statements," "witness examination" will last about two weeks. Then the prosecutors and the defense lawyers will present "closing arguments," which will be the final opportunity for both sides to communicate with the jury. The jury needs to decide unanimously if the defendant is guilty or not.

If the jury unanimously holds that the defendant is guilty, there will only be two penalties: life in prison or death. According to US Federal law, the jury will decide if the death penalty applies to the case, Wang said.

Zhang, a 26-year-old visiting Chinese scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), went missing on June 9, 2017, after getting into a black Saturn Astra about five blocks from where she got off a bus on her way to an apartment complex to sign a lease.

Police arrested 28-year-old Christensen on June 30, 2017, who was a former UIUC doctoral student and charged him with the kidnapping, torturing and killing of Zhang. But he pleaded not guilty.