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3 White Men, 2 White Women 1st Picks for Bill Cosby Jury

Cosby is appearing in court as jurors are questioned ahead of the June 5 trial

The panel that will decide Bill Cosby's fate in his sex assault trial began to take shape Monday with the selection of five jurors, three white men and two white women.

The search for 12 jurors and six alternates was expected to take several days. Experts believe lawyers on both sides will be considering race, sex, age, occupation and interests of potential jurors.

The actor-comedian once known as America's Dad for his portrayal of Dr. Cliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" is charged with drugging and molesting a Temple University women's basketball team manager at his home near Philadelphia in 2004. He calls their encounter consensual.

Dozens of other women have also made similar accusations against Cosby, and the judge is allowing only one of them to testify at the June 5 trial in suburban Philadelphia. The jury from Pittsburgh will be sequestered nearly 300 miles from home.

Cosby has said he thinks race "could be" a motivating factor in the accusations lodged against him.

The jurors' names, ages and occupations were being kept private from reporters. Two of the jurors selected Monday appear to be in their 50s, while one man appears to be in his 20s or early 30s.

Bill Cosby broke his silence only days before his sexual assault trial. Cosby gave an interview to Serius XM Radio’s Michael Smerconish. Cosby was asked about the number of accusers against him and whether or not that lends credence to the charges.

Both men say they or someone close to them has been sexually assaulted, but they insisted they could set that aside to fairly judge the case.

One-third of the potential jurors questioned Monday said they've formed opinions about Cosby's guilt or innocence, while the majority said it would be difficult to spend several weeks sequestered across the state. And 35 of the 100 people questioned said they or a family member or close friend has been the victim of a sexual assault.

The case against Cosby has attracted worldwide publicity that the judge hopes to shield from jurors during the trial.

"No one should make an effort to be on this jury, and no one should make an effort to not be on this jury," Judge Steven T. O'Neill told the group.

Cosby, who entered the courtroom on the arm of an aide, using a cane and carrying a box of tissues, conferred with his three lawyers at the defense table.

Lead lawyer Brian McMonagle had earlier said he hoped an unbiased jury could be found fairly quickly. He said Cosby was "looking forward" to getting the process started. Cosby has said he does not expect to testify.

The defense had used four strikes to keep someone off the jury by Monday afternoon, while the prosecution had not used any. Each side can strike seven people from the jury and three alternates.

Jury selection will begin Monday in the trial of comedian Bill Cosby. NBC10’s Keith Jones has the details.

The trial will take place in Norristown in Montgomery County, where Cosby had invited Andrea Constand to his home in 2004. She said she went seeking career advice as she considered leaving her job managing the women's basketball team at Temple University. She said Cosby gave her wine and pills that put her in a stupor before molesting her on his couch.

Constand was 30 and dating a woman at the time, while Cosby was 66 and long married to wife Camille. Cosby in sworn testimony has said he put his hand down Constand's pants, but said she did not protest.

The Associated Press doesn't typically identify people who say they are the victims of sexual assault unless they come forward, as Constand has done.

The judge plans to bring 100 potential jurors to the courthouse each day this week until a panel is selected. The first group consisted of 53 women and 47 men, with 16 people of color.

Cosby was arrested Dec. 30, 2015, days before the 12-year statute of limitations expired. He has pleaded not guilty and remains free on $1 million bail.

He told a talk show host last week that he hopes to beat back the charges and resume his career.

"I want people to understand my work as an artist and a performer," he said. "I want to get back to the laughter and the enjoyment of things that I've written and things that I perform on stage.

A run-down of what to expect as a dozen jurors and six alternates are selected:

Q: Why is the jury being picked in Pittsburgh?
A: Cosby's lawyers sought an outside jury because the case had been a flash point in the 2015 race for Montgomery County district attorney. Former prosecutor Bruce Castor, the Republican candidate, had declined to charge Cosby a decade earlier. First Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steele, a Democrat whose office had reopened the case, attacked Castor over the Cosby case in campaign ads.

Q: What will it be like to serve on the jury?
A: In a rare move, the jury will be sequestered near the courthouse in Norristown, some 300 miles (482 kilometers) away from their homes. Court officers will keep close tabs on their cellphone use, TV time and reading material, given the huge media coverage the case will bring. The trial is expected to last about two weeks, but could go longer if rebuttal witnesses are called or the jury struggles to reach a verdict. [[363847281, C]]

Q: What type of jurors will the defense seek?
A: The defense will likely seek jurors who are black, male, older and perhaps celebrity worshippers, in the view of jury consultant Howard Varinksy, who advised prosecutors in the murder trials of Scott Peterson, who was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife, Timothy McVeigh and others. Black jurors may be more willing to doubt police and prosecutors, while older jurors may blame the victim for being in the married Cosby's home, he said. Celebrity worshippers may be sympathetic or try to form a connection to the star, relating to the fact they once saw them in a store or come from the same hometown or have children the same age.

Q: How about the prosecution?
A: Younger jurors may have more modern views of sexual assault cases, especially those, like Cosby's, that involve acquaintance situations or a delay in contacting police. Varinsky expects about one in four jurors to say they or someone close to them has been the victim of a sexual assault. Those individuals would likely be dismissed by the judge.

Q: How much leeway does each side have to pick jurors?
A: Either side can ask the judge to strike a potential juror for cause, without it counting against them. That might include jurors who admit having a biased view of the case, or have a hardship — a medical condition, family obligation or financial or job situation — that prevents them from serving. After that, each side can strike seven jurors and three alternates without cause, simply because they sense they fear they would hurt their sides.

Q: Will the jurors be identified?
A: Judge Steven O'Neill plans to keep the jurors' names private. However, the press will be covering the proceedings, reporting on both the nature of the arguments over jury selection and the willingness of people to serve in the high-profile case.

Q: What should I watch for?
A: Jurors too eager to serve in a celebrity case. Some may even hope to write a book afterward, if past cases are any guide.

  • Can the parties find 18 people without strong feelings about the case or Cosby's career? Do they express fond memories of benevolent TV dad Cliff Huxtable or cartoon character Fat Albert? Or are they bitter about Cosby's scolding of the young black community?
  • Is the jury pool familiar with the scores of other Cosby accusers? Are people being truthful if they say they're not, given the widespread media coverage?
  • What's the final breakdown in terms of men/women; old/young; black/white/other? gay/straight? (Cosby is 79, black, long-married, a father of five, American and a career entertainer. Trial accuser Andrea Constand is 43, white, single, gay, Canadian and a basketball professional-turned-massage therapist.)
  • Will politics come into play, subtly or not? Given sex assault allegations raised against President Donald Trump, and his vulgar comments caught on tape about grabbing women, will lawyers try to glean the jurors' political leanings?

Q: Will jurors hear from Cosby during the trial?
A: Cosby told an interviewer this past week that he does not expect to testify, given his fear of wading into trouble while trying to be truthful during cross-examination.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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