Bill Cosby judge to rule Wednesday on releasing juror names
NORRISTOWN, Pa. — The judge who presided over Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial will decide Wednesday whether to identify jurors who deadlocked in the case after a week of deliberations.
Judge Steven O’Neill fears there would be a chilling effect on jurors needed for Cosby’s retrial if the first jury discusses the deliberations with the media. Lawyers for several media outlets argued at a hearing Tuesday that jurors’ names should almost always be public to ensure transparency in the judicial process.
Lawyer Eli Segal, arguing on behalf of the Philadelphia Media Network and other outlets, said jurors should be free to discuss their backgrounds, the sequestration process and their individual views, even if — under O’Neill’s order in the case — they do not disclose the jury split or other jurors’ comments.
“This is a critical part of the justice system,” Segal argued. “We are entitled to them.”