A$AP Rocky assault trial continues jury selection as defense protests lack of Black candidates
Share:
A judge said he expects a jury will be chosen at the trial of A$AP Rocky on Thursday, while lawyers for the hip-hop star are protesting the dearth of Black candidates for the panel. Nearly one hundred potential jurors will pack into the Los Angeles courtroom for a third long day of questioning at the trial, where Rocky is accused of two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm for allegedly firing on a former friend in Hollywood in 2021.
Opening statements will begin once 12 of them, and four alternates, are seated. “I’m pretty sure we’re going to have a jury tomorrow,” Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold said at the end of court Wednesday, thanking the panelists for their patience. “This is not going to go on forever.”.
Other than dismissals for cause, each side can have 10 jurors dismissed without giving a reason. The defense has used four of its challenges. Prosecutors used just one. They said they are happy with the jury as currently composed. But that may change.
Meanwhile, lawyers for Rocky said they planned to appeal a judge's rejection of their request for a hearing on why less than 5% of the jury pool is Black, while the area they are drawn from is 9% African American. It's possible that none of the 16 jurors selected will be Black.
“We’re troubled by that to say the least,” defense lawyer Joe Tacopina said. “We’re in downtown Los Angeles, not a small town in Montana.”. The Rev. Al Sharpton said on the social platform X that he has been following the proceedings and was critical of the racial makeup of the juror pool.
