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Four African Americans Chosen for Cosby Jury

Published

9 years ago

May 25, 2017

By Stacy M. Brown (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

PITTSBURGH—After a third day of the jury selection process Bill Cosby criminal trial, all 12 jurors have been chosen. It was a day filled with high-drama and even several outbursts of laughter by the embattled comedian and others.

Also, six alternate jurors were chosen for the trial that’s scheduled to begin on June 5 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, about 300 miles from where the selection process took place.

Two members of the primary panel are African-American, a man and a woman both in their 30s or 40s. A male black in his 20s and a female African-American in her 20s were also selected as alternates.

While the primary panel consists of 10 Whites—seven men and three women—the alternate jury pool includes four Whites.

In a telephone interview Wednesday, civil rights activist, Rev. Jesse Jackson said juror suppression has been a tool of the United States justice system for centuries.

“The jury may determine the outcome even before coming to court,” Jackson said. “Our history includes the killers of Emmett Till and Medgar Evers; a jury set those killers free. There’s a court bias and African-Americans don’t have access to the jury pool [like Whites].”

Cosby has been charged with three counts of sexual assault, which stem from an alleged incident more than a decade ago at his home near Philadelphia.

The star faces 10 years in prison if he’s convicted.

After Cosby’s legal team objected on Tuesday to prosecutors striking an African-American woman, an otherwise quiet proceeding grew contentious.

“We believe this is systematic exclusion of African-Americans,” defense lawyer Brian McMonagle complained in lodging the challenge to the striking of the juror and citing a legal term known as a “Batson challenge.”

According to the Legal Information Institute (LII) at the Cornell Law School, a Baston challenge is, “An objection to the validity of a peremptory challenge, on grounds that the other party used it to exclude a potential juror based on race, ethnicity, or sex. The result of a Batson challenge may be a new trial.”

The LII continued: “The name comes from Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986) – which held this type of peremptory challenge to be unconstitutional when used by criminal prosecutors. Another case, Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete, 500 U.S. 614 (1991), permitted private litigants in a civil case to successfully make the same kind of objection.”

On Wednesday, drama filled the courtroom when a potential juror admitted to posting a note on Facebook and communicating with someone, who identified themselves as a seated juror. Judge Steven O’Neill, visibly angry, repeatedly asked the man whether the person in question was really a seated juror and whether he or she was in the jury room.

O’Neill then retreated to his chambers with attorneys from both sides and, after 40 minutes, reemerged to say that juror no. 2 had been dismissed, because of a personal issue.

It’s not known whether the already seated juror was the individual who traded Facebook posts. The judge had previously made it clear that jurors were not to post anything about the case or whether they were selected on social media or anywhere else.

The courtroom burst into laughter when one potential juror, a White man in his 60s or 70s, complained of having ulcerative colitis and said serving would present an undue hardship, because of his diet and propensity for needing a bathroom at a moment’s notice.

The comedian held his head in his face and could barely contain his laughter as the judge, attorneys and reporters all laughed. “I’ve been married 45 years, longer than some prison sentences for murder,” the older man quipped, again bringing Cosby to laughter.

Cosby’s attorney called the older man the, “second funniest man in the room.”

After the session ended, Cosby addressed the media to thank the people of Allegheny County. He said he had performed at the nearby Heinz Theater.

Defense attorneys and prosecutor Kevin Steele said they were appreciative of the jurors, but Cosby’s team clearly wasn’t happy with the way potential African-American panelists were handled, as many were given high numbers, which meant that they were either forced to wait much longer to be vetted or dismissed outright.

“I am glad we are passed this nonsense about the optics of the jury,” Steele said. “It’s a terrific jury made up of people of all demographics.”

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News Observer Weekly — October 28, 2026 | Top 5 Stories of the Week

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We make money while we sleep. That’s the mayor of Inglewood, talking about billboards. And six days from now, Inglewood voters decide whether he gets to keep sleeping on it.

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ONE THING THIS WEEK
Vote. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Official drop boxes close at 8 p.m. that
night. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Nov. 3 and arrive within
seven days. Sign and date your envelope. Not registered? You can still register
and vote the same day, in person, through Election Day.
State voter hotline: 800-345-VOTE (8683). Kern County Elections: 661-868-3590.

A NOTE ON THIS EPISODE
Stories two and three were reported at an SEIU Local 2015 rally for two Democratic
candidates. Rep. David Valadao and Steve Hilton did not appear; we include
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CHAPTERS
0:00 Cold open
0:43 Inglewood: Inglewood Mayor Defends Billboard Revenue as Measure BB Heads to Nov. 3 Election
3:03 Kern County: Villegas Rallies SEIU Caregivers in Bakersfield in CD-22 Race Against Valadao
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7:56 Corcoran: Healing the Wounds Behind the Walls
10:39 Los Angeles: Metro to Kick Off Vermont Bus Rapid Transit Project Ahead of 2028 Olympics
12:33 What to do this week

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20 Years of California Climate Law: Gov. Newsom and Former Gov. Schwarzenegger Lead Milestone Celebration

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Gov. Gavin Newsom, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Photo courtesy of Gov. Newsom’s office.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger celebrated two decades of the state’s landmark climate law on Wednesday, Oct. 14, highlighting California’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while growing its economy and expanding clean-energy investment.

The Democratic governor and Republican former governor appeared together at the 15th annual California Economic Summit in Long Beach to mark the 20th anniversary of Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act, which Schwarzenegger signed in September 2006. The law established a framework for reducing California’s greenhouse gas emissions and helped lay the groundwork for the state’s cap-and-invest program.

“We’ve shown the world what a state can accomplish,” Schwarzenegger said, highlighting California’s climate leadership.

Newsom credited Schwarzenegger’s decision to sign AB 32 with helping create the state’s cap-and-invest program, which requires companies to reduce their emissions, purchase allowances, or fund projects that offset pollution. Revenue from the program supports climate initiatives, affordable housing and transportation projects, as well as electricity bill credits for residents.

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He also argued that predictable climate policies encourage businesses to invest in California’s clean-energy economy, pointing to Tesla as an example of the opportunities the state’s regulatory framework created.

“There’s no Elon Musk without what Gov. Schwarzenegger did because there would be no Tesla,” Newsom said.

Schwarzenegger agreed that long-term policy certainty helps attract investment, arguing that California’s climate initiatives demonstrate that environmental protections and economic development can advance together.

The state extended its cap-and-invest program through 2045 last year, giving businesses a longer-term framework for planning investments and meeting emissions requirements.

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The governors’ joint appearance underscored their shared support for climate action despite their political differences. Schwarzenegger has criticized Newsom’s support for Proposition 50, the 2025 redistricting measure that temporarily allowed California lawmakers to redraw congressional districts.

The anniversary comes as California continues to pursue emissions reductions and clean-energy investment while facing questions about the cost of its climate policies for households and businesses.