Jury Selection Begins in Trial of Refugee

Jury selection began Tuesday in the murder trial of an Estonian refugee accused of beating and stabbing to death activist Viivi Piirisild in her North Hollywood house in July, 1988.

Prosecutors said the selection process in the case against Tauno Waidla should take about two weeks, after which attorneys will begin to present evidence.

Waidla, who faces the death penalty if convicted, admitted the killing to police a month after it was committed, according to court documents. But his attorney, Martin R. Gladstein, has said he will seek to have the statement thrown out because detectives did not honor Waidla’s request to have an attorney present during questioning.

Waidla and Peter Sakarias, who also is accused in the killing, were hailed as heroes after they deserted the Soviet army and escaped to West Germany. Sakarias has been judged mentally incompetent to stand trial and has been sent to Atascadero State Hospital.