Jury selection begins in Conn. prisoner death case

ROCKVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Jury selection has begun in the case of a Connecticut inmate facing the possibility of the death penalty for allegedly killing his cellmate and carving his nickname into the victim's chest.

Lawyers began picking jurors in Rockville Superior Court on Wednesday for the trial of Jose Jusino, who is charged with capital felony and murder in the 2009 killing of 22-year-old Reynaldo Robles. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty because Jusino has a previous murder conviction.

The Hartford Courant reports that the 25-year-old Jusino is one of three state inmates still facing the possibility of the death penalty despite the state's repeal of capital punishment earlier this year. The repeal only affected future capital crimes.

Authorities say Jusino strangled Robles and carved his nickname, "King Guala," into Robles' chest.

___

Information from: The Hartford Courant