The San Francisco Chronicle today has a feature on jury consultants, focusing on Howard Varinsky, who assisted the prosecution in choosing the Martha Stewart jury and is doing the same in the Scott Peterson trial, and Jo Ellen Dimitrius, who worked for the defense in the O.J. trial and is now helping Scott Peterson's defense team. Ms. Dimitrius helped the prosecution in the case against David Westerfield, sentenced to death for killing six year old Danielle Van Dam, and has been signed by the prosecution to help pick the Kobe Bryant jury.

What are they looking for in Peterson jurors?

He wants consensus-oriented individuals who, in the end, will decide that circumstantial evidence is all that's needed to bring a verdict of guilt. She's looking for strong-willed people who might view authorities with suspicion and remain open to the idea that Laci Peterson died at the hands of an unknown assailant.

Dimitrius concedes that she has the tougher job in the Peterson case, due to the extensive pre-judgment of guilt in his case. But, we think in almost all cases, this is what really goes on:

No matter how many times prospective jurors are told a defendant is innocent until proved guilty, there are many who will come in with preconceived notions, particularly in a high-profile criminal case. "A lot of people still think this person would not be sitting in that chair if the police and prosecution didn't really think he did it,'' said Beth Bonora, a jury consultant based in San Francisco.