ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — John Jonchuck, the father accused of dropping his 5-year-old daughter off the Dick Misner Bridge, has his murder trial beginning, with jury selection having started Monday.

It will be a lengthy process and a difficult one as jurors will hear emotional testimony surrounding that day in January 2015 when Jonchuck allegedly dropped his 5-year-old daughter Phoebe off the southbound approach to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, killing her.

The trail started at the Pinellas County Courthouse Monday morning.

This case has gained national and even international attention over the years, so finding impartial jurors is not expected to be easy.

More than 500 potential jurors are expected this week, which means about 140 people will be processed a day until the court seats those 12 jurors who will have a tough task in the weeks ahead.

The jury selection process started with general questioning, mainly to eliminate people who have conflicts with what could be a month long trial. 

The question is not whether Jonchuck killed his daughter, but whether he was insane when he did it.

That is what jurors will need to decide as they listen to testimony from countless witnesses, describing the days and even years leading up to Phoebe's death.

Jonchuck's team will focus on showing jurors he is insane, or at least was insane that day.

And the state must prove to jurors that he knew the difference between right and wrong.

The judge had questioned Jonchuck at one point, asking specifically how he feels about his own mental health today. 

In response, Jonchuck said he believes he sufferes from "schizoaffective disorder," a condition known to show symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations or delusions, as well as symptoms of depression. 

Criminal defense attorney Kevin Hayslett, who is not involved in this case, told Spectrum Bay News 9 that these jurors will have to hear difficult details, see heart-wrenching photos, and ultimately set aside their emotions to come up with a verdict.

"This case is difficult because the judge has to ensure even if you've heard information about the case, can you put that aside and be fair and impartial, and only rely on the evidence that comes in the courtroom from witnesses?" Hayslett said.

Choosing a jury could take hours but it will likely take days. The 12 chosen jurors will have to listen carefully each day of this trial.

Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty, so either Jonchuck will go to prison for life or he will be sent to a psychiatric hospital and likely never be released.