11 people seated on Cosby jury; defence sees race bias
PITTSBURGH — Bill Cosby’s lawyers accused Pennsylvania prosecutors of trying to systematically keep blacks off the jury Tuesday after prosecutors used their strikes to send two black women home.
Judge Steven O’Neill for now rejected the argument after prosecutors said the second woman was a former Pittsburgh detective who sued the city after she was arrested in a public scandal. They said the case raised doubts about her credibility.
O’Neill said he would revisit the issue if defence lawyer Brian McMonagle, who had accused prosecutors of “a systematic exclusion of African-Americans,” offered any statistical evidence to back that up.
Of the 11 current jurors, one is black. The 100 people summoned to the Allegheny County courthouse for juror consideration so far have included 16 people of colour. A new jury pool will be summoned Wednesday, when lawyers return to seek the final juror and six alternates.