'Baby Grace' Jury Selection Set to Start

Outpouring of community sympathy could complicate process
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jan 25, 2009 2:50 PM CST
'Baby Grace' Jury Selection Set to Start
Royce Clyde Zeigler II and his wife, Kimberly Dawn Trenor, are charged in the death of Trenor's 2-year-old daughter, Riley Ann Sawyers.   (AP Photo/Galveston County Sheriff's Office, File)

Jury selection is set to begin tomorrow for the capital murder trial of 20-year-old Kimberly Dawn Trenor, accused—along with husband Royce Clyde Zeigler II—of beating her 2-year-old daughter Riley Ann Sawyers to death in July 2007. After volunteer searchers helped in the agonizing investigation, some fear that community reaction could complicate the task of choosing jurors.

Each parent blames the other for Riley Ann's death. Last week, Trenor pleaded guilty to a charge of evidence tampering and will be sentenced for that after her murder trial. "It is a small relief to hear Ms. Trenor is taking some responsibility for her role in this tragedy," said an attorney for the Sawyers family. If convicted, Trenor faces up to life in prison without parole. Zeigler, 25, will be tried later. (More Baby Grace stories.)

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