Local News in Brief : Santa Ana : Kraft Defense Loses Bid for Higher Jury Pay

The trial judge in the Randy Steven Kraft case refused a defense request Monday to increase the trial jury’s pay from $5 a day to $50 a day per juror.

Kraft attorneys argued that because the murder trial may take as a long as a year, many prospective jurors are likely to claim undue hardship and the court may not find an adequate pool of jury candidates. Increasing jury fees might reduce the number who claim hardship, the defense contended.

But the county counsel’s office objected that the court has no authority to increase jurors’ fees, and Superior Court Judge Donald A. McCartin agreed. “I think it would be tampering with the whole jury selection system,” McCartin said.

The judge also disagreed with defense arguments that the low jury fee might have “a severe impact” on Kraft’s right to a fair trial but indicated that the defense may renew the motion later.

McCartin has called for 12 regular jurors, plus eight alternate jurors who would sit on the regular jury if some regular jurors cannot complete the trial.

Kraft is charged with 16 murders, but prosecutors plan to introduce evidence of 21 other murders they allege that he committed.

After nearly five years of delays, the trial is scheduled to begin today with questioning of the first group of prospective jurors.