CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / LOS ANGELES

A man accused of lying about his criminal record on his juror application forms and in court during questions by a judge pleaded guilty to perjury Wednesday and was sentenced to 25 days in jail, prosecutors said.

Manuel Basulto Soto, 52, was accused of failing to disclose that he had been convicted of a felony when he filled out a juror declaration form in February 2008.

Prosecutors said he lied again when he was questioned under oath by Superior Court Judge William R. Pounders during jury selection in a murder trial in downtown Los Angeles.

Soto had been convicted of arson in 1981, prosecutors said.

In accepting the plea, Superior Court Judge David Horwitz also placed Soto on three years’ probation, said district attorney’s spokeswoman Shiara Davila-Morales.

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-- Jack Leonard