Cosby jury filled as defense alleges racial discrimination
Lawyers question removal of black woman from jury pool
NORRISTOWN, Pa. — The jury that will weigh sexual assault charges against Bill Cosby was filled out Wednesday even as the comedian’s defense team accused prosecutors of racial discrimination for excluding a black woman.
Cosby’s lawyers alleged a member of the prosecution team made a disparaging remark after a black woman was removed from consideration. They didn’t reveal in open court what they claim had been said, but sought to use the remark as evidence that prosecutors illegally removed the woman from the jury pool on the basis of her race.
Prosecutors pushed back, noting two black jurors had been seated, and the judge said he didn’t believe the prosecution had any “discriminatory intent.”
Cosby’s lawyers eventually relented and, once jury selection resumed, three white men and a white woman were quickly placed on the panel. That brought the total number picked over three days to 12 — a full jury. Six alternates also have to be picked.
The main panel of seven men and five women consists of 10 whites and two blacks..
The battle over the black juror’s removal highlighted racial disparity in the suburban Philadelphia jury pool that limited the number of black people available for consideration. Just 10 of about 240 prospective jurors questioned on the first three days of jury selection, or about 4.2 percent, were black. The population in Montgomery County is about 9.6 percent black, according to the latest U.S. Census estimates.
The county says the people called for jury duty are selected randomly from a master list that combines voter registration records and driver’s license records.