Associated Press - September 2, 2009 11:25 AM ET

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) - A judge will allow expert testimony at the trial of a soldier charged with a double slaying in central Kentucky despite objections by defense attorneys.

Senior Judge Janet Coleman said last week that she would allow testimony from a ballistics expert and from Hardin County Deputy Coroner John Clemen about the time of deaths.

Fort Campbell soldier Brent Burke is charged with murder in the 2007 shooting deaths of his estranged wife, 31-year-old Tracy Burke, and her former mother-in-law, 53-year-old Karen D. Comer of Rineyville in Hardin County. Burke has pleaded not guilty.

The News-Enterprise reports that Burke's attorney, Chris Davenport, objected to allowing the testimony. He described Clemen's time estimates for the deaths as "junk science" and questioned whether ballistics is a true science.

Jury selection in the trial was set to begin Wednesday.

Information from: The News-Enterprise, http://www.thenewsenterprise.com

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