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Sneiderman taken off house arrest as jury selection continues

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A DeKalb County judge decided late Monday afternoon, that Andrea Sneiderman is to be taken off house arrest and that her ankle monitor was to be taken off.

This comes as jury selection began in her trial where she faces more than a dozen charges after her husband was murdered outside a Dunwoody day care.

Nearly 300 potential jurors are expected to report to the DeKalb County Courthouse. Channel 2's Mike Petchenik said potential jurors are being called in 50 at a time for questioning. Officials told Petchenik attorneys will have to whittle the pool down to about 40 people before seating the final jury.  Both sides can strike up to nine potential jurors each.

It is unclear how long jury selection will take, but during a hearing on Friday, Judge Gregory Adams responded to the defense team’s concerns about finding an impartial jury by saying he will spend as long as necessary on the process.

Also during the hearing on Friday, Adams signed off the district attorney's request to drop the most serious charges against Sneiderman – malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault.

Sneiderman could still face five to 10 years on each of the 13 remaining charges, including four counts of providing false statement and seven counts of perjury.

Sneiderman will be tried on charges that she lied to police, prosecutors and the jury in her husband's murder trial. Her former boss, Hemy Neuman, was found guilty of murder, but mentally ill, in the death of Rusty Sneiderman. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Prosecutors said Sneiderman lied about having an affair with Neuman. They believe that relationship led Neuman to kill Rusty Sneiderman.

Sneiderman's friend, Ryan Stansbury, said he cannot wait for the trial to begin.

"I am happy it's going to trial, because she has such a strong case. The evidence is overwhelmingly in her favor and she will be exonerated," Stansbury said.