Jackson's jury
Jun 14, 2005
Michael Jackson's fate lay in the hands of a jury of eight women and four men.
The diverse group, The process was designed to eliminate those who might be sympathetic to Jackson because of personal ties, or others who may favour prosecutors.
They were asked to divulge personal details such as previous experience of sexual abuse or racial discrimination and quizzed on their knowledge of the singer and charges against him.
Eight were white, three Hispanic and one of Asian origin.
According to sources inside the court at least one juror has already got a book deal.
Here are the jurors' profiles at a glance:
1 - White male, 62. Civil engineer with a graduate degree. Married to a retired baker, he has four grown-up children and lives in Santa Maria. Believes parents can have a great influence over their children and that the media is biased.
2 - Latino male, 63. Has been married for eight years and lived with his partner for 18 years. Has two grown up sons and a graduate degree.A retired school counsellor, he describes himself as a "Western artist" who enjoys bronze casting and horse riding.
3 - White female, 50. Married with no children, she has a university degree and has worked part time as a riding instructor for 33 years. She has never been involved in any form of lawsuit and has no connections to Michael Jackson. Describes Jackson as a "wonderful" entertainer.
4 - White female, 52. Former computer programmer who used to be a math teacher. Has two teenage children and has been married to a university researcher for 21 years. Enjoys Jackson's music.
5 - White female, 79, the oldest juror - a widow who has lived in California her entire life. She has two grown-up children and some college education. Has done jury duty once before and has either a relative or close friend who has been accused of sex abuse. A casual acquaintance who knows Michael Jackson.
6 - White female, 22. A physical therapy aide who works full-time in a nursing home. She is a mother with two young daughters and lives with her boyfriend, who is unemployed. She has never served on a jury before, made any form of compensation claim and has no personal ties to Jackson. She has lived in Santa Barbara County, California, her whole life.
7 - White male, 21. A single student who lives in Santa Maria. He is a wheelchair user and his father has served in the US Air Force. A keen motor sports fan, he wants to be a sports journalist. Visited Jackson's Neverland ranch as a child and said he loves children but believes they have a tendency to lie.
8 - White female, 42. Works full time in special needs education. Married with four children aged between four and 20. Has a relative or close friend who has been accused of sex abuse and two female relatives who have been the victims of abuse, one who was raped when she was 12. Believes everyone should draw their own conclusions from media reports.
9 - Asian female, 39. A senior office specialist for the county government whose first language is Indonesian. Married to a television reporter for eight-and-a-half years. No children.
10 - White female, 45. A supermarket worker who previously sold radio advertising. Her first language is Spanish and she has three children aged between 14 and 26. Described the media as "another form of entertainment".
11 - Latino male, 20. Single with no children, and has a disabled mother. Is a fan of The Simpsons and does not watch television news. Works as an assistant head cashier. His father fought in the Korean war and his sister works for Jackson's doctor and knows the singer.
12 - Latino female, 44. Works for the Department of Social Services and is divorced from a Santa Maria police officer. Has a 21-year-old son and a friend who is a police detective.
Source
