A jury has been selected just two days into in the fraud and racketeering trial of Conrad Black.

Of the 20 people chosen by Judge Amy St. Eve, 18 will be seated: 12 jurors and eight alternates -- two more than usually selected.

No identifying information about the selected jurors was provided in court Thursday. But the former media baron may face as jurors the relatives of police officers, a student, a postal service worker and an unemployed man.

"The only people who know (the identities of the jurors) are the lawyers in the case, the prosecution and the defence counsel," said CTV's legal analyst Steven Skurka from Chicago, "and of course, Conrad Black himself."

"All of the lawyers are sworn to secrecy -- not only can they not reveal the identities of the jurors, they can't even reveal their professions."

The jurors have been told to return on Monday morning -- when the public will learn who they are -- to start hearing evidence against Black, who has pleaded not guilty to various charges against him.

Black arrived at the Chicago courthouse Thursday morning for Day 2 of jury selection, once again offering no comments to the reporters gathered outside.

Judge Amy St. Eve questioned the second half of the pool of prospective jurors in hopes of having a "fair and impartial jury" selected by late afternoon.

About a dozen of the 90 prospective jurors had already been eliminated after being asked about their feelings toward Canadians and large corporations. Others were excused for financial reasons, or because of child-care needs.

Most of the potential jurors said they had heard about the Black case but only in passing.

St. Eve did all the questioning of the prospective jurors. Lawyers from both sides were allowed to tell the judge which jurors they'd like excused, but the decision ultimately rested with St. Eve.

The chosen jurors chosen will have to sit through at least three months of testimony, some of it perhaps involving celebrity witnesses but much of it involving lengthy, complicated testimony on accounting. They will be paid US$40 a day.

Opening arguments in the trial are set for Monday.

The Canadian-born Black, 62, faces charges of fraud, racketeering, tax violations, obstruction of justice, and money laundering. He could face a 101-year prison sentence and more than US$50 million in fines if convicted.

Three former associates of Black at Chicago-based Hollinger International Inc. and its Canadian holding companies face fewer counts.

The defence is expected to argue that Black relied on the advice of others in his business dealings and had no criminal intent.

Black himself has been writing columns and giving interviews with his assertions that he is an innocent businessman who was betrayed by friends, misled by advisers and unfairly targeted by an overzealous U.S. prosecutor.

David Radler, Black's former associate, former president and chief operating officer of the Hollinger group and former publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times pleaded guilty to mail fraud in 2005.

He was given a 29-month sentence and fined US$250,000, in exchange for his co-operation with prosecutors. He is expected to testify against Black, in exchange for the reduced sentence.