"We have a jury," Judge Rodney S. Melville announced. The judge then began the process of selecting eight alternates for a trial projected to last six months.
The panel consists of four men and eight women, ranging in age from 20 to 79.
Jury selection had been expected to last several weeks, but took only five court days, which were interrupted by a one-week break due to the death of an attorney's sister and another one-week break because Jackson was hospitalized with flu-like symptoms.
The court has not disclosed the races of jurors and lawyers are under a gag order not to discuss the case. According to one public opinion poll, blacks are less inclined to believe the charges against Jackson. The jury seated Wednesday was primarily white and Hispanic and did not appear to include any of the half-dozen black prospective jurors who were in the initial pool.
"Just look around us. A jury of his peers would be people of his age and people of color, mixed diversity," she said. "How diverse is this jury looking to you right now?"
There are white people on the jury. Looks like his "people of color". If they really wanted a jury of his peers, they'd have to find 12 to 16 black pop singers in their 40s. Good luck taking everything literal!
Another good quote from the Carlin calendar:
I've often been safe, but seldom have I been sound.
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