Jury selection kicked off Monday for the high-stakes trial of James Craig, the hometown dentist accused of poisoning his wife’s protein shakes while secretly carrying on a sordid affair and plotting a new life without her.

James Toliver Craig, 47, is charged with first-degree murder after deliberation in the March 2023 death of his wife, Angela Craig, a 43-year-old mother of six. Her cause of death was determined to be lethal doses of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline.

Defense attorney Kelly Hyman outlined the strategic battlegrounds she expects to see in the courtroom as Craig’s murder trial unfolds.

“Chain-of-custody documentation and lab accreditation standards here in Colorado,” she said, “will be scrutinized at every turn.”

James Toliver Craig is pictured in a mugshot provided by the Aurora Police Department. (Aurora Police Department)

Hyman also discussed how pretrial publicity might impact plea negotiations. Prosecutors, she suggested, often harden their stance to avoid appearing weak in the court of public opinion — even as defendants leverage the threat of venue changes or jury sequestration to force more favorable terms. 

“In situations like this,” she explained, “the real pressure point comes when both sides realize the jury pool may already be tainted by media coverage.”

Hyman said that as jury selection kicks off, voir dire must dig deeper and probe prospective jurors on how they consume news and their personal attitudes toward law enforcement. 

“You can’t assume someone who says they’re unbiased hasn’t seen a viral headline or formed an opinion,” she said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Lisa Fine Moses for comment.