Finding unbiased jurors for Martin Shkreli's fraud trial proved challenging for lawyers, reports The Washington Post.
The court dismissed more than 200 jurors Monday and Tuesday, some of whom expressed strong opinions about Mr. Shkreli, who infamously raised the price of an older drug from $13.50 to $750 overnight in 2015.
One juror told U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto: "I know he's the most hated man in America," while a second said, "From everything I've read, I believe the defendant is the face of corporate greed in America." Another juror expressed even stronger views, saying, "The only thing I would be impartial about is which prison he goes to." The court dismissed all three individuals from the jury.
Mr. Shkreli is accused of running a "Ponzi-like scheme" at his former hedge fund, MSMB Capital Management, and his drug company, Retrophin, between 2009 and 2012. Prosecutors allege he lied about the state of MSMB's finances to draw in investors, hid major trading losses from them and paid them back with funds stolen from Rotrophin, reports Reuters.
Opening statements began late Wednesday, after the court finally seated an impartial jury, according to a separate report from The Washington Post. In his opening remarks, Mr. Shkreli's attorney, Benjamin Brafman, acknowledged the entrepreneur's strange behavior and poor reputation. "Is he strange? Yes. Will you find him weird? Yes," he told the jurors. "As Lady Gaga would say: He was born this way."
The trial is expected to last four to six weeks. Mr. Shkreli faces more than 20 years in prison, if convicted.