Picking a jury in a high-profile case in Hong Kong

Lawyers for the five defendants in Hong Kong's highest-profile corruption case yesterday challenged 19 potential jurors without giving a reason - six fewer than is allowed under the Jury Ordinance.

The right to challenge without reason applies only to the defence, with each defendant getting five such challenges.

A total of 38 people in the jury pool were balloted during the empanelling process in the case of Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong and Raymond Kwok Ping-luen, co-chairmen of Sun Hung Kai Properties; Thomas Chan Kui-yuen, executive director of the company; former chief secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan; and former Hong Kong stock exchange official Francis Kwan Hung-sang.

Both the prosecution and defence have the right to raise unlimited challenges provided they can show good reason, such as the possibility of bias.

In addition to the 19 defence challenges, 10 potential jurors were exempted by the judge for various reasons. The remaining nine people in the pool were chosen for the jury for the trial.

Under the ordinance, a jury is usually composed of seven members. But the number can be increased to nine, most often for trials, such as this one, that are expected to last at least several months, to prepare for possible discharge of some jurors due to unforeseeable factors, such as health problems.

Jurors are free to return home after each day of the hearing until the last day of the trial when they are required to debate their verdict.