Twenty people, mostly women, were kept in the pool Tuesday, and more interviews are scheduled for Wednesday. Federal Judge Nancy Edmunds wants around 40 for the final selection round Thursday.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is accused of trying to destroy an Amsterdam-to-Detroit flight with a bomb in his underwear.
He is acting as his own lawyer but only questioned one potential juror Tuesday. He has left the task to his court-appointed standby attorney, Anthony Chambers.
Some people were excused after saying they couldn't be fair toward Abdulmutallab. Others had different conflicts, such as a new job or health issues.