Jury selection will resume Tuesday morning in the trial of suspended Dougherty County school board member Velvet Riggins.
The lengthy process started around 11 am Monday morning, which included a lot of questions to potential jurors about the school system, the free lunch program and publicity about this case.
So far 36 potential jurors were questioned. Tuesday, 24 more will be questioned to find a jury of 12.
Velvet Riggins seemed relaxed and confident as her trial began Monday morning.
Riggins was indicted in April on two felonies and two misdemeanors accused of falsifying papers so her children would receive free or reduced school lunches.
The state says Riggins didn't include all of her employment information on the application, but the defense says it was an honest mistake and she later filed corrected paperwork.
Before jury selection began Judge Stephen Goss went over each of the four counts with Riggins, her attorney, Mark Brimberry and the prosecutor, Heather Lanier. She's charged with public record fraud, providing false information to obtain free school meals for child and two counts of theft by taking.
Riggins was arrested in December and Governor Nathan Deal removed her from office in July until the outcome of her trial.
Riggins was offered a plea deal last month, but declined it.
Gloria Baker, the former Morningside Elementary School principal and her husband were also indicted in the school lunch investigation. They're trying to get their case thrown out.
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