NATION : Jury Seated, Sequestered in Barry’s Cocaine, Perjury Trial
A jury consisting of mostly black women was seated today in the cocaine and perjury trial of Mayor Marion Barry and was immediately placed in the care of U.S. marshals for the duration of the case.
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson scheduled opening statements in the case for Tuesday morning and said the jurors will be sworn in at that time. The judge told them they would collect their belongings and be sequestered.
The panel of 12 people plus 6 alternates includes 13 blacks and 5 whites. There are just three men among them. Barry, 54, is black, and a number of prospective jurors questioned in the past two weeks said they thought race and politics played a role in the investigation and prosecution of the three-term mayor.
During the trial, the group of 18 won’t be told which are jurors and which are being held as alternates.
U.S. marshals will transport them between the U.S. Courthouse and an area hotel, where they will be housed until the trial is over.
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