Chicago Redflex scandal trial to begin

A corruption trial in Chicago that is expected to expose the underhanded dealings of Australian red-light camera company Redflex is set to get under way.

It took a US District Court judge, prosecutors and the defence team of the accused, former Chicago transportation official John Bills, two days to settle on a jury because red-light cameras are such a hot-button issue in the city.

Opening statements are scheduled for Wednesday (Thursday AEDT).

When Judge Virginia Kendall asked the 60 potential jurors how many of them had received a red-light camera ticket, more than half raised their hands.

Bills is accused of taking $US2 million in bribes from Redflex that led to Chicago installing nearly 400 red-light cameras in the city - more than any other city in the US.

The prosecution's star witness is expected to be the former chief executive of Redflex's North American operations Karen Finley, who will be sentenced next month after pleading guilty to paying bribes to Bills.

Other former Redflex employees are also expected to testify.

Prosecutors allege during the pilot phase of the red-light camera program, Bills presented to the selection committee "photographs that showed Redflex cameras working well, and the competitor's cameras working poorly".

The North American business of Melbourne-based, Australian Stock Exchange-listed Redflex Holdings Group has suffered after the Chicago corruption allegations were first investigated by the Chicago-Tribune newspaper in 2012.