Opening statements are this morning in the jury trial of Robert Merkle, the administrator of a Northside cemetery who is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the cemetery's maintenance fund.

        A jury of nine women and three men, with one male alternate, was seated Monday afternoon. Among them are a tax accountant, a fiscal officer, a lawyer, and an engineer.

        The prosecution intends to prove that Mr. Merkle, an unordained Methodist minister, drained Wesleyan Cemetery's maintenance fund of $97,000 and used the money for his personal finances.

        Mr. Merkle contends the money was lost because of bad management decisions.

        Mr. Merkle, 62, faces three counts of theft and one count of failure to maintain an endowment care fund.

        The trial, which was transferred Monday from Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge David P. Davis to Visiting Judge John P. O'Connor, is expect to last about two weeks. The case was switched because of scheduling conflicts.

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