Jury Selected in Fraud Trial of Ex-Compton Councilwoman
A federal jury composed of eight whites, two Asians and two Latinos was picked Monday to try former Compton City Councilwoman Patricia A. Moore on charges of extortion and income tax fraud.
Two African Americans and two whites were tentatively selected as alternates, but that could change if either side exercises its peremptory challenges when court resumes today.
Moore, an African American, has complained about a dearth of blacks in the pool of more than 90 prospective jurors.
U.S. District Court Judge Consuelo B. Marshall last week rejected a defense motion to discharge the pool and start anew or to guarantee the seating of at least one black among the 12 regular jurors. Government lawyers argued that such a procedure was illegal and unconstitutional. Moore, 47, is charged with exacting more than $62,000 in payoffs from two Compton businesses that had projects pending before the City Council. Many of the payoffs were documented on secretly recorded FBI videotapes, according to prosecutors. Moore says she was illegally entrapped.
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