Whenever there is pending in the criminal court any case in which the defendant is charged with a felony and the judge holding the court is convinced from the circumstances of the case that a jury cannot be obtained from the regular jury panel to try the case, the judge may, in his or her discretion, prior to the day fixed for the trial of the case, direct the jury commissioner to draw, in the same manner as described in section 25-1656, such number of names as the judge or judges may direct as a special jury panel from which a jury may be selected to try such case, which jury panel shall be summoned for such day in the same manner as the regular jury panel.