CORRECTION: Second District Judge Glen Dawson has not yet ruled on whether to allow prosecutors to show a post-slaying photo of Jill Allen in the trial of her husband, Paul Allen, who is accused of paying someone to kill her. A story in Tuesday's newspaper reported incorrectly the status of Dawson's ruling.

FARMINGTON — The prosecution team in the murder-for-hire case against Paul Allen can present forgery and theft evidence detailing how Allen allegedly tried to cover his tracks after hiring someone to kill his wife, a judge ruled Monday.

Second District Judge Glen Dawson also ruled prosecutors may show the 12 jurors, plus three alternates, a black-and-white photo taken after Allen's 24-year-old wife was found murdered. The photo shows blood in her hair, welt marks on her neck and bruises on her face.

Seventy-three jurors reported to the Davis County Courts Complex Tuesday morning to fill out a 24-page questionnaire Tuesday morning, said Mike Edwards, Davis County law clerk.

The 212 questions ranged from inquiries into jurors' religious beliefs, whether they've been victims of domestic violence and their knowledge of the case from media reports.

The questionnaire also asks jurors' opinions on the death penalty. One question asked, "Do you believe in 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth?' " Prosecutors are not asking for the death penalty in Allen's case.

After reviewing their answers, lawyers from both sides will call jurors back for private interviews Thursday morning. The 15-member jury is expected to be in place by sometime Friday, and Allen's three-week trial will begin Monday, Feb. 7.

Allen, 30, is charged with capital murder, as well as conspiracy and criminal solicitation, both first-degree felonies, for allegedly arranging the murder of his wife, Jill Allen, who was found Aug. 28, 1996, beaten to death in the couple's North Salt Lake condominium.

During a two-hour hearing Monday afternoon, prosecution and defense teams ironed out the final details of Allen's case before Dawson. Topics ranged from longer lunch breaks to Allen's trial attire to possible evidence.

Prosecutors plan to present evidence of forgery and theft, which Dawson ruled "could bolster the state's claim of a conspiracy to commit murder."

Allen allegedly used credit information from some of his clients at AT&T, where he worked as a customer sales representative, to buy more than $4,500 worth of merchandise at Bombay Company, JC Penney, Pro Golf Discount and Uinta Golf.

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In April 1996 Allen made his first payment of $3,500 to Joseph Sergious Wright, who then concocted a plot to kill Allen's wife, prosecutors say. George Anthony Taylor killed Allen's wife in August 1996.

Allen "needed a method and a process to conceal such use of his income, so he illegally purchased items to serve as an explanation for where he was spending his money," prosecutors allege.

Defense attorneys argued presenting such evidence would create unfair prejudice against Allen, confuse the issues of the case and cause undue delays. They also argued the facial photos of Jill Allen were too inflammatory and would only serve a "shock value."

Dawson ruled the black-and-white photo of Jill Allen's bloodied and battered face was "less distressing" but added he would not allow jurors to see a color version of the same photo.

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