Jury selection in the trial of accused double murderers Luis Melendez and police officer Jeffrey Browne began Friday and continued Monday, with the trial expected to begin in earnest Tuesday.

Browne’s wife, Marcella Browne, who is Melendez’s sister, is charged with being an accessory after the fact for allegedly giving false information to police investigators.

Browne and Melendez have been charged with multiple counts of murder, attempted murder and other charges stemming from a deadly Christmas 2007 shooting spree in the JFK housing community.

The incident resulted in the deaths of Allen Burke, 18, of Estate Anna’s Hope, and Kennyetta McIntosh, 33, of No. 6 East Street, Christiansted. Four other victims sustained various gunshot wounds and were treated at Juan F. Luis Hospital.
To protect several witnesses, D’Eramo ordered the proceedings sealed in January 2008, limiting public information.

Browne and Melendez are brothers in law. Browne was arrested Dec. 30, 2007. Melendez was already in custody after being picked up Christmas Day on an unrelated attempted murder charge in connection with a shooting Nov. 23 in Estate Bethlehem. Both have pleaded not guilty to all the charges. They have been held without bail since then.

The late Judge Francis D’Eramo ordered the two held until trial, citing what he termed the "heinous" nature of the offense and possible danger to Browne, who reported to police that he and his family had received threats. Jury selection was set to begin earlier this year when D’Eramo died by his own hand in April, delaying the trial.