5 jurors picked for Cosby trial, 2 know a sex assault victim

5 jurors picked for Cosby trial, 2 know a sex assault victim

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The search for 12 jurors and six alternates for Bill Cosby's sexual assault trial is off to a brisk start even though a third of the initial jury pool had an opinion about Cosby's guilt or innocence and an equal number said they or someone close to them had been sexually assaulted.

The lawyers studied each person's race, sex, age, occupation and interests to try to guess their inherent sympathies, experts said.

The actor-comedian once known as America's Dad for his portrayal of Dr. Cliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" is charged with drugging and molesting a Temple University women's basketball team manager at his home near Philadelphia in 2004.

Cosby came to court on the arm of an aide, carrying a box of tissues, and frequently conferred with his three lawyers at the defense table.

The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are the victims of sexual assault unless they come forward, as Constand has done.