Simpson jury queries reviewed

O.J. Simpson's defense team lost a bid Friday to question prospective jurors about what they know and think about the former football star.

District Court Judge Jackie Glass also rejected a bid to use a lengthy pretrial questionnaire to gauge how people in the jury pool might respond to defense strategies in Simpson's armed robbery and kidnapping case.

Defense lawyers are concerned about seating an impartial jury because of Simpson's celebrity, both as an NFL Hall of Famer and the acquitted defendant in the Los Angeles slaying of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman.

"There's people probably out there, judge, that believe Mr. Simpson doesn't have right to be out on the street, much less own property," defense lawyer Gabriel Grasso said.

Grasso also argued to quiz jurors about two possible defense strategies without saying what the questions would be.

One question would deal with Simpson believing items he and several other men took from two memorabilia dealers belonged to him.

The other would address Simpson being present but not the orchestrator of the incident.

Glass removed both questions.

Glass called the questionnaire the longest she's handled in her more than five years on the bench. She said she wanted it completed in time to hand out in August to 400 or more prospective jurors and expedite what both sides expect will be a contentious jury selection.