Opening Statements Tuesday : Jurors Selected Quickly for Peyer Murder Trial

An eight-man, four-woman jury was seated Thursday in the murder trial of former California Highway Patrol Officer Craig Peyer, who is charged with the Dec. 27, 1986, killing of Cara Knott.

Testimony in the case will begin on Tuesday, when attorneys for both sides will have an opportunity to deliver their opening statements.

The trial, expected to last six to eight weeks, will be held in San Diego. Superior Court Judge Richard Huffman rejected two defense motions for a change of venue because of extensive pretrial publicity.

Knowledge of Case

The screening of potential jurors began Jan. 4, when each member of the jury pool was asked about his or her knowledge of the case. Every one of the 130 juror candidates questioned expressed knowledge of the case, some saying they were familiar with the most detailed facts.

Several jurors interviewed during the screening process, including one member picked for the jury panel, said they thought Peyer was guilty but could give him a fair trial based only on the evidence and testimony presented in court.

Ten of the 12 jurors selected to hear the case were actually picked on Wednesday, the first day of the final selection process. On Wednesday, Huffman expressed surprise over the fast-paced jury selection process. The 12 jurors and four alternates were picked in less than a day-and-a-half of questioning by defense attorney Robert Grimes and Deputy Dist. Atty. Joseph Van Orshoven.

Knott, 20, was a San Diego State University student. San Diego police homicide investigators said that she was strangled after Peyer, in uniform and in his patrol car, stopped her north of San Diego at the isolated Mercy Road off-ramp from Interstate 15. Her body was thrown 65 feet down into a dry creek bed.

Free on Bail

Peyer, 37, is free on $1 million bail. He was a 13-year CHP veteran before he was fired in May. Peyer is only the second CHP officer charged with committing murder while on duty.

The 12 jurors selected to hear the case are Lisa Longacre, Robert Harrell, George Boutell, Lawrence Endriss, Carole Riggs, Sharon Beale, John Doxey, Walnetta Lenhardt, Joseph Dorner, Patrick Coady, Gregory Cadice and William Devine.

The alternates are Marcelino Castro, Victor Dingman, Lawrence Kamber and Gregory Dunbar.