Double Marcos Link in Lifestyle Guru's Trial

A new twist to the trial of lifestyle guru Martha Stewart emerged over the weekend when it transpired that one of the potential jurors had acquitted Imelda Marcos in a previous case.

The former first lady of the Philippines was successfully defended in 1990 by one of Ms Stewart's legal team on charges of defrauding her country of more than $200m.

The selection of jurors who do not have strong positive or negative views about Ms Stewart, the best-known adviser on food, homes and gardens in the US, has proved hard and is not due to finish until today.

The trial proper is due to start tomorrow in New York. Ms Stewart, 62, is charged with securities fraud and conspiracy in connection with the sale of nearly 4,000 ImClone shares in 2001 just before the firm's stocks fell drastically.

Over the weekend, details of the final pool of 48 potential jurors were released and showed that a woman who served on the jury that cleared Ms Marcos of fraud and racketeering was included.

Ms Marcos was defended by John Tigue, one of Ms Stewart's lawyers. The woman has been allowed to remain in the pool after she said she did not recognise Mr Tigue.

Ms Stewart is pleading not guilty. Her defence is that she had an arrangement with her broker, Peter Bacanovic, to sell her shares if the stock slipped below a certain level. Both she and Mr Bacanovic face lengthy jail terms if they are convicted.