Jury selection began Tuesday for the trial of Coby John Edwards, 27, Berthold, who is charged in district court in Minot with Class AA felony gross sexual imposition. Edwards is accused of sexually abusing a young girl between 2016 and 2018. If convicted, Edwards could face up to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A second panel of prospective jurors was questioned in the afternoon. The trial is scheduled to last four days and testimony could begin today.

Edwards’ former girlfriend, Skylar Picconatto, 21, Berthold, pleaded guilty last month to an amended charge of Class C felony deprivation of a minor. Picconatto acknowledged that she failed to protect the little girl from being abused by Edwards. Picconatto, who had originally been charged with Class A felony gross sexual imposition, ended up serving about a year in jail with credit for time served. She is on supervised probation for three years and is allowed contact with her own children. According to lawyers at Picconatto’s sentencing hearing, the victim’s own mother was in agreement with Picconatto’s sentence. Picconnatto is not required to register as a sex offender.

Court records show that last week Judge Doug Mattson denied a state request for the young alleged victim to be allowed to testify via interactive television instead of in the courtroom. The defense had objected to the request. Mattson wrote in his order that the state did not present sufficient evidence that the child would be so traumatized by the presence of Edwards that she would be unable to communicate reliably if she must testify in the courtroom.