LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge told prospective jurors to set aside their feelings about dogs as jury selection began Thursday in the trial of a couple whose animals fatally mauled a woman in their San Francisco apartment building.

"Some people have very strong views about dogs," said Superior Court Judge James Warren, who traveled with the case when it was transferred to Los Angeles because of heavy publicity in San Francisco. "Whatever your feelings are have to be set aside."

The judge began questioning the 280 potential jurors about whether any of them had hardships that would prevent them from serving. About 130 people were excused. He asked remaining prospects if they knew of the publicity, and hands shot up.

"You are not allowed to tell anyone you are a potential juror in the dog case," he said.

At one point a prospective juror said she believed "someone has to account for the death. The dog can't testify." Warren told her no crime had been proven, but she continued.

"If that happened to my girl, I'll tell you – that's human life," the juror said.

The judge was to begin questioning another 280 prospective panelists Friday.

After hardship screening, the remaining prospective jurors will face individual questioning by lawyers beginning Feb. 5. Also, they were to fill out 29-page questionnaires that closely examine their feelings about dogs.

Marjorie Knoller, 46, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Diane Whipple, involuntary manslaughter and owning a vicious dog that caused harm. Robert Noel, 60, is charged with manslaughter and lesser charges.

Knoller's attorney, Nedra Ruiz, told reporters her client was glad jury selection was under way.

"She feels this is the beginning of a brighter day," Ruiz said. "She's pleased to have a forum where she can prove her innocence."

Whipple, a 33-year-old college lacrosse coach, was carrying groceries to her Pacific Heights apartment last January when she was attacked by the dogs as Knoller walked them. Whipple's larynx was crushed and her neck ripped open.

Whipple's mother, Penny Whipple-Kelly, said the couple showed no remorse. She has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the dog owners, the apartment landlord and the property managers,

"I don't expect them to admit guilt, but they could have said they were sorry," Whipple-Kelly said Thursday on CBS's "The Early Show." "They tried to blame my daughter like it was her fault that she died."

Noel referred to the victim as a "timorous little mousy blonde" in a letter unsealed Thursday by the judge.

The seven-page letter, dated two weeks before Whipple was mauled, was sent to prison inmate Paul Schneider, the couple's adopted son. In it, Noel gives Schneider a report of the dogs' behavior, including details about a run-in with Whipple.

Schneider, 39, and another inmate allegedly ran a dog breeding ring from prison. Prosecutor Jim Hammer has said Schneider and the couple "worked actively together and enjoyed creating these monster dogs."

The letter also includes details about the couple's decision to adopt Schneider, calling him Knoller's second husband.

"It is the one form of legal action which can join the three of us in a binding family unit," Noel wrote. "If it were permitted to be accomplished through a second marriage that would have been the medium, but we have become a family and Marjorie and I are prepared to go as far as possible to formalize that arrangement."