WMBD/WYZZ-TV –TAZEWELL COUNTY-- Jury selection is underway in the murder trial of Karen McCarron. The Morton mom charged with killing her 3-year-old autistic daughter .

     Ninety prospective jurors appeared at the Tazewell County Courthouse today to be interviewed.

     This tedious process follows several delays last year due to motions by the prosecution and defense. 

 
Fifteen jurors will be picked during the 3-day selection process. Once that's done, opening statements and testimony in the McCarron murder trial will begin.

 
McCarron is charged with 4 counts, two of which are 1st degree murder.

 
McCarron is also charged with obstructing justice, and concealing a homicide.

 
    Police say, at the time of her arrest, the Morton mom confessed to suffocating 3-year-old Katherine McCarron with a plastic bag.
 

     The trial was delayed several times last year while prosecutors and defense attorneys awaited a report on the defendant's mental health.

 
Both sides had psychiatric experts examine McCarron. Results of those examinations won't be released until testimony begins.

 
Prior to the charges, McCarron worked as a clinical pathologist for the Peoria-Tazewell Pathology Group .

 
Although McCarron has pleaded not guilty on all 4 counts, the State of Illinois suspended her license to practice pathology in the summer of 2006, saying she posed an imminent danger.

  
 Some of the questions being posed to jurors include whether they accept the premise of a mother being able to kill a child, and whether they accept if a doctor can kill another person.

 
 If jury selection is complete by Friday evening, opening statements will begin Monday morning.

 Judge Steven Kouri says the trial is expected to last 2 to 3 weeks. We'll follow it closely and bring you the latest.