mark hawkins and donnie hendrix were being held responsible for vera lawrence's death. partners in life, they were now accused of being partners in crime, facing identical charges of third-degree murder and practicing medicine without a license. the prosecutor was counting on persuading the jury, partly through stories told from the stand by transgendered men, who claimed to know the accused as silicone pumpers. so an open-minded jury was a priority. >> i wanted people who were open culturally. i was very concerned i would have jurors who wouldn't hear the message because of the messenger. >> the prosecutor had reason to be doubly anxious about jury selection. because he decided to hold one trial that would be heard by not one but two separate juries. one for hawkins and one for hendrix. >> may it please the court, counsel, ladies and gentlemen of the jury -- >> in his opening statement, prosecutor schinberg downplayed the right sexuality of his case and portrayed the defendants in a way that was easy to understand. two people blinded by common greed running an illegal