Prosecutors fight Cosby bid to query jurors

Prosecutors fight Cosby bid to query jurors

PHILADELPHIA

Prosecutors in Bill Cosby’s sex-assault case in Pennsylvania objected Monday to defense efforts to prescreen as many as 2,000 potential jurors.

They also said in a court filing that the jury should be selected weeks before the scheduled June 5 trial so jurors can prepare to be sequestered nearly 300 miles away from home. And they challenged defense claims that it will be tough to find people without opinions of the longtime Hollywood icon.

In a sometimes caustic court filing, they called that “a cynical view of the potential jurors in Allegheny County.”

Cosby, who turns 80 next month, is accused of drugging and molesting a Temple University basketball team manager at his home in 2004, an encounter he calls consensual. He was 66 at the time; Andrea Constand was 30.

The trial will take place in suburban Philadelphia, where Cosby met with Constand at his estate, but the jury will come from the Pittsburgh area because of pretrial publicity over the past two years.

Johnny Rotten backs Trump, Brexit vote

LONDON

Count punk pioneer Johnny Rotten among President Donald Trump’s supporters.

The former Sex Pistols front man, whose real name is John Lydon, tells ITV’s “Good Morning Britain” that “there’s many, many problems” with Trump as a person, but he’s not racist. Lydon says Trump “terrifies politicians and this is joy to behold.” He says he looks at Trump as “a possible friend.”

Lydon is a U.S. citizen, but also weighed in on the politics of his native Britain, saying he’s in favor of the UK’s vote to leave the European Union last year. He says, “the working class have spoke and I’m one of them and I’m with them.”

Lucas donates $10M for student diversity

NEW YORK

George Lucas has given another $10 million to the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts to fund the student diversity program he helped establish.

The donation was announced Monday by USC, Lucas’ alma mater. Last fall, USC established a foundation in Lucas’ name to support students from underrepresented communities who qualify for financial support. It was funded with an initial $10 million gift from the George Lucas Family Foundation.

Associated Press