After two sets of delays in the Jacko jury selection process, the whole thing got sorted really rather quickly. Somewhat ahead of schedule Superior Court Judge Rodney S Melville yesterday told reporters: "We have a jury".
For fans of stats, here's a breakdown. The panel consists of four men, eight women. The youngest is 20, the eldest 79. Racially, we're talking seven whites, four Hispanics and one Asian. Other fun facts reported by Billboard include that one of the juror's grandson was required to register as a sexual offender because of a crime; another says she was related to the pilot of one of the planes that went down on 9/11; one is a 20-year-old man who likes 'The Simpsons'; another is interested in Western art and country music. Sorted.
Eight substitute jurors are still to be selected - but word is the jury could be sitting in court as early as next week. For the jury to have been selected in just five court days is quite an acheivement, former San Francisco lawyer Jim Hammer told
Billboard: "It's unheard of in a case like this to have a jury this fast".
Elsewhere,
Melville assured everyone that Jacko's recent flu-like illness, which delayed the jury selection process by a week, was genuine and wasn't a delay tactic by the defense. Melville: "Mr
Jackson really was sick. He really did have the flu. I talked to his doctor. I wouldn't let anyone take advantage of us that way".
Melville also confirmed that a few more celeb names have been added to the list of potential witnesses that might be called to testify
- new additions included singer Smokey Robinson and actors Eddie
Murphy and Macaulay Culkin.
Things could well get going proper next week.