Five jurors selected in Cosby trial
Jury from Pittsburgh will be sequestered near Philadelphia court
PITTSBURGH — 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 got off to a brisk star, even though a third of the initial jury pool had an opinion about Cosby’s guilt or innocence and an equal number said they or someone close to them had been sexually assaulted.
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 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, 79, 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.
The case against Cosby has attracted worldwide publicity that the judge hopes to shield from jurors during the trial.
Cosby arrived in court on the arm of an aide and using a cane, and frequently conferred with his three lawyers. Lead lawyer Brian McMonagle 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 used two. Each side can strike seven people from the jury and three alternates.
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 married to wife, Camille.
The Associated Press doesn’t identify people who say they are the victims of sexual assault unless they come forward, as Constand has done.
The first group of 100 potential jurors summoned Monday included 16 people of color. Forty-one of them will return Tuesday for further consideration before the judge calls in the next pool.
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.