Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: BOULDER, Colo. (Reuters) - A grand jury was sworn in Wednesday amid speculation it would hear the case of JonBenet Ramsey, the six-year-old beauty pageant winner found murdered in her Boulder home in 1996. The 17-member grand jury was sworn in after a pool of 57 potential grand jurors was quizzed by a judge on what they knew about the case, but Boulder County District Attorney Alex Hunter stressed that it would not necessarily be a "JonBenet jury." Twelve women and five men were picked for the grand jury, which consists of 12 jurors and five alternates. Grand juries in Boulder County serve for 18 months but only sit when they are called on. Only seven grand juries have been called on for their services, or convened, in the last 30 years. A realtor, Joel Ripmaster, who acted for JonBenet's parents in a number of real estate deals was one of the potential jurors dismissed by State Judge Judge Joseph Bellipani. No reason was given for his dismissal. Another dismissed juror, Peter Boyer, told reporters, "They'll be hard pressed to find anyone who is impartial," in the JonBenet case. In a statement issued earlier in the day, Hunter said no decision had been made whether to "convene the grand jury to examine the Ramsey case." It added, "Prospective grand jurors will be asked Ramsey-related questions (but) this should not be taken as an indication that a decision has been made to present the case to the grand jury." Bellipani told jurors at the beginning of jury selection that their questioning related to the Ramsey case would be in private. Jury questionnaires released to the press included a range of queries regarding the case, such as: "Are you involved in, or do you know anyone who is presently involved in any capacity, in any current criminal investigations (including but not limited to the investigation in to the death of JonBenet Ramsey?)" Jurors were also asked: "Do you have any feelings about the Boulder Police Department, the District Attorney's office or the media which would make it difficult for you to serve as a grand juror or bias you in any way in an investigation of the death of JonBenet Ramsey ... ?" Earlier this month police investigating the murder asked Hunter to convene a grand jury, saying it was necessary to obtain more evidence in the case. No arrests have been made and no suspects named in the murder case that has captured worldwide attention. The police recommendation was seen as one of the biggest steps in the investigation since the murder. A grand jury can be used to obtain sworn testimony, obtain evidence not otherwise available to investigators and to review the case for purposes of seeking an indictment. Much attention in the case focused on JonBenet's parents who police say remain under an "umbrella of suspicion." But John Ramsey, a computer company executive and his wife Patricia, a former beauty queen, deny any connection with the murder and have criticized police for not solving the case. The Ramseys have since moved to Atlanta where they live with their 11-year-old son Burke. Her father found the girl's body in the basement on Dec. 26, 1996, some eight hours after her mother said she found a ransom note demanding $118,000 for the safe return of the child. -- Two rules in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know. 2. Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
