Thread by @innercitypress

OK - US v Avenatti jury selection in the alleged Nike extortion case, Judge Gardephe has juststarted final round of "general questions" to prospective jurors, intermittent thread below (anticipating a separate, fire hydrant like thread when oral arguments begin)

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer Judge Gardephe and lawyers have returned from a looong sidebar, back to questioning prospective jurors. One had apartment burglarized in 2000. Judge G: "Is there anything about that experience" which would give you concern if you could be fair and impartial? No.

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer Another prospective juror says because of son's job, he's been interviewed many times. Judge Gardephe: And what is his job again? "Correctional officer."
"Is there anything about that experience which would give you concern if you could be fair and impartial?" No.

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer Now Judge Gardephe (finally) turns to specific / individual questions, previewing them as: town, age, school, job, family, prior jury service, athletics, reading habits, hobbies &, of course, favorite TV show.
2d prospect: Bronx, trade school, podcasts, The Wire.

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer Another prospect has a J.D., is an adjunct law professor. Says watches CNN, MSNBC "and Fox, actually I watch all of them."

Next: "Newspapers you read?" Answer: "Facebook and Instagram. And checking my son's Instagram account." Light laughter in courtroom 110.

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer A prospective juror is a doctor, reads mostly medical journals or Indian philosophy, doesn't watch TV but does watch #TedTalks.
Another, when asked "any nationally competitive athletics?" says, "I swam in college but we weren't too competitive." Judge chuckles.

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer Now Judge Gardephe, after all this questioning, has summoned the lawyers (including Avenatti) to the sidebar. This could take awhile. This thread will continue, and morph into opening arguments when they start. For now, switching to UN noon briefing we banned from

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer Judge Gardephe just emerged from looong sidebar to declare lunch break until 1:45- but says after that the jury selection will be finished after that, then his instructions and, he says, the opening statements today. Thread(s) will continue patreon.com/posts/33533749

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer Judge Gardephe is back (jurors due at 1:45); he tells the lawyers that if they come back on time from lunch the opening statements could be "as early as 2 pm."

AUSA Richenthal asks, Can I eat a granola bar?
Judge Gardephe: Of course you can eat a granola bar!

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer Judge Gardephe: I'm going to ask the lawyers to now hand up their peremptory challenges. The defendant has 10, the government 6...

Note: it seems the government used a peremptory challenge on a 26 year old Bronxite who is a software developer and uses Reddit

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer OK: the 12 jurors and 3 alternates have been selected. Judge Gardephe says "We're adjourned until 1:45." Then he'll read some law and call for opening statements. We'll start a new thread for those - watch @InnerCityPress & patreon.com/posts/33533749

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer The prospective jurors - 20 of them to be dismissed in just a moment - are filing back into Courtroom 110. Then Judge Gardephe will give some instructions, then we'll start a brand... new... thread for the US v. Avenatti opening arguments themselves. #DrumRoll

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer While we wait, just to finish this one off: the jury is six men, six women. All three alternates are men. The prospective juror who mentioned seeing the spoof of Avenatti on SNL was challenged and will not be on the jury

@MatthewLeeICP @sdnylive @NBCNewYork @KTVZ @businessinsider @BW @dcexaminer Now the jury is seated. Judge Gardephe tells them they are as important as him. He's introducing all the lawyers again. Will start new thread, with the opening arguments. It's on patreon.com/posts/33533749