4 men, 8 women to sit as jury in Jackson child-molestation trial

SANTA MARIA, Calif. — In surprisingly quick time, a jury was selected Wednesday that will decide Michael Jackson's fate on charges that he molested a teenage boy at his Neverland Ranch.

"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.

Selection moved at a fast pace when the judge imposed tight time limits on how long each prospective juror could be questioned.

Among the jurors were a woman who said her grandson was required to register as a sexual offender because of a crime; a 20-year-old man who likes "The Simpsons" TV show; and a man who likes Western art and country music.

One of the jurors had been asked during selection if he recognized celebrity witnesses in the case including self-help guru Deepak Chopra. He responded, "I think he's a rapper."

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.

Two black women who had been questioned as potential jurors were rejected by prosecutors. The defense objected on both occasions — one Tuesday, the other Wednesday — and Jackson appeared upset when each woman was removed.

The second woman claimed her husband had been treated with prejudice while working for the sheriff's department. During questioning by a prosecutor, she criticized the makeup of the jury 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?"

Jackson nodded along as the woman described her husband's experiences of discrimination and turned to watch her leave the courtroom.