Juries were chosen yesterday in the cases of former Penn State football player Chris Baker, who is facing fight-related charges from an April incident, and George S. Patton, who is facing nine charges of armed robbery.

"The fact that Mr. Baker is a member of the football team really has nothing to do with this case," Centre County Assistant District Attorney Steve Sloane said to prospective jurors. "It is a unique case, and you may hear testimony from people who are on the football team or related to it."

Though most of the jurors said they had seen or heard about Baker's case on the news or watched Penn State football, they said it would not influence their decisions during the trial.

"Since [Baker] can get very aggressive on the field -- because that's his job -- do you believe he has that tendency?" Baker's attorney, Karen Muir, asked the jurors, who said they did not.

The jury selected for Baker's March 31 trial comprises six men and six women. At that trial, Baker, a former defensive tackle for the Nittany Lions, will face charges of criminal trespass, simple assault, harassment and burglary in connection with an April 1 incident at the Meridian II, 646 E. College Ave.

Baker additionally faces charges of aggravated assault, harassment and stalking, simple assault, and disorderly conduct in connection with an Oct. 7 altercation at the HUB-Robeson Center. He will be tried separately on those charges.

Several potential jurors were excused from Patton's jury selection when Centre County Assistant District Attorney Karen Kuebler asked if they had been biased by media coverage of the alleged armed robberies or if they knew Patton.

Carroll D. Patton, George Patton's sister and co-defendant, may also testify against him, Kuebler said. None of the potential jurors said that would interfere with their unbiased assessment of the case.

Patton's attorney, Deborah Lux, asked the prospective jurors about other possible conflicts of interest that would interfere with their fair hearing of the case, but they said they would be able to put aside any such bias.

The jury selected for Patton's trial, which is scheduled for Feb. 25 to Feb. 29, consists of eight men and four women. Patton, of Patton Township, faces charges stemming from the alleged armed robbery of nine businesses in Centre, Huntingdon, Blair, Clinton and Ferguson counties during the months of July and August. He is also accused of attempted robbery of two other businesses.

Austin Scott's jury selection, which was also scheduled for today, was postponed until the April term of court.

Scott, a suspended Nittany Lion tailback, faces charges of rape, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault and simple assault. He was charged in October after a female student accused him of forcing intercourse on her, according to court documents.