Aquan Richardson, 26, is charged with second-degree murder in the May 2016 death of Joshua Adams McBride.

WILMINGTON -- Jury selection began Monday afternoon for a Wilmington man being tried in a 2016 overdose death.

Aquan Richardson, 26, is charged with second-degree murder in the May 2016 death of Joshua Adams McBride. Richardson is also charged with attempt to sell/deliver a controlled substance, sell/deliver controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school and two counts of possession with intent to manufacture/sell/distribute a controlled substance. In one instance, Richardson allegedly attempted to sell heroin to a police informant, according to the arrest warrants.

McBride, 28, died from an overdose of heroin that officials allege was sold to him by Richardson.

After motions Monday afternoon and Richardson's rejection of a plea deal, jury selection in the case began late Monday afternoon.

Richardson was one of four people charged in 2016 with murder in three overdose deaths in Wilmington and New Hanover County. Though the North Carolina law allowing such a charge has been on the book since 1999, it wasn't widely used. Richardson's case was the first time a murder charge for an overdose was filed by the Wilmington Police Department. The defendants in the other cases all pleaded guilty. This will be the first overdose death prosecuted at trial by the New Hanover County District Attorney's Office.

Jury selection is expected to continue Tuesday.

Reporter F.T. Norton can be reached at 910-343-2070 or Fran.Norton@StarNewsOnline.com.