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Requests for Luzerne County natural-gas recreation funding exceed available amount

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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Jury selection began Monday in the retrial for Melissa Ann Scholl, a Wilkes-Barre Township mother who police say tried asphyxiate herself and her two children.</p><p>The retrial comes after Scholl&#8217;s previous trial in June ended in a mistrial, with a hung jury being unable to agree on her guilt.</p><p>Prosecutors say that, in December 2015, Scholl parked her car at the Williams Bus Line on Blackman Street in Wilkes-Barre Township, and strung a garden house from the tailpipe to a window of the car, inside of which were her two young children, then 5 and 7.</p><p>Scholl&#8217;s attorneys, however, say that the action was a cry for help.</p><p>Jury selection began around 1:30 p.m. Monday, with Judge David W. Lupas adjourning around 4:45 p.m. without seating any jurors.</p><p>As was previously <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/666631/prosecutors-will-retry-melissa-scholl-on-attempted-homicide-charges" target="_blank">reported</a>, the jury selections process is likely to come with additional scrutiny, as a juror in June&#8217;s trial appeared to have posted about the proceedings on social media.</p><p>Both First Assistant District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce and Scholl&#8217;s attorney, Larry Kansky, asked the pool of potential jurors a series of questions regarding their ability stay impartial, telling them to stand if they felt they would be unable to.</p><p>Of approximately 75 potential jurors, 29 stood when Sanguedolce asked if they would struggle to remain impartial in the face of descriptions of the crime allegedly committed by Scholl.</p><p>Meanwhile, 14 of the potential jurors stood when Kansky asked if they would have a problem if his client does not take the stand. Scholl did not testify on her own behalf in the June <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/663715/mistrial-declared-in-melissa-ann-scholl-case" target="_blank">trial</a>.</p><p>The jury selection process continues Monday morning, with Lupas telling the potential jurors to return by 9:15 a.m.</p><p>Scholl remains locked up in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Jury selection for the retrial of Melissa Ann Scholl began Monday. The retrial comes after the case against her ended in a mistrial in June. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_web1_SchollStandalone-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Jury selection for the retrial of Melissa Ann Scholl began Monday. The retrial comes after the case against her ended in a mistrial in June. </caption0><photoCredit0>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_Scholl-cmyk.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Jury selection for the retrial of Melissa Ann Scholl began Monday. The retrial comes after the case against her ended in a mistrial in June. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_Scholl-cmyk.jpg</photo1><caption1>Jury selection for the retrial of Melissa Ann Scholl began Monday. The retrial comes after the case against her ended in a mistrial in June. </caption1><photoCredit1>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Jury selection begins for Scholl retrial; continues Tuesday morning