FORT WORTH (1080 KRLD) - The federal trial of the man charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting an eight-year-old Fort Worth girl begins Tuesday.
Michael Webb, 51, is accused of snatching the girl as she was walking with her mother in Fort Worth’s Ryan Place neighborhood back in May.
The girl was rescued in a Forest Hill motel room about eight hours later.
Webb had initially planned to plead guilty; but at the last minute, he had a change of heart and pleaded not guilty instead.
Jury selection begins at 9:00 Tuesday morning, and Judge Reed O’Connor’s court clerk tells KRLD that jury selection will likely last twice as long as normal.
Opening statements are expected to begin early Tuesday afternoon, and the justice department plans on calling more than 25 witnesses to the stand.
The trial is expected to last until Thursday or Friday, and Webb faces up to life in prison if convicted.
In addition to the federal charge, Webb has been indicted on nine state charges.