Post editors weigh in on jury selection in the highly-anticipated trial of suspended Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly.
As jury selection wraps up in suspended Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly’s trial, one problem has become immensely clear.
It will be difficult for both Kelly and state prosecutors to get a fair trial since almost every potential member of the jury interviewed by Judge Patricia A. Cosgrove has already been exposed to the case, whether through media reports or word of mouth.
As of 1 p.m. Tuesday — when a Post executive staff member was present at the courthouse — Cosgrove said just one potential jury member interviewed for a position had not previously been exposed to the case in any way. So, most everyone who can be considered a viable jury member — coming across as unbiased although previously exposed to details of the case — will have some sort of opinion formed about Kelly’s innocence or guilt before ever hearing the evidence in court, even as they tell Cosgrove and the attorneys present that prior knowledge doesn’t impact their ability to be open-minded.
Cosgrove, the prosecuting and defense attorneys have done their best to group together an impartial jury. We hope, throughout the case, those jurors are up for the challenge and prove themselves to be unbiased and prepared to rule on such a high-profile case.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post's executive editors: editor-in-chief Jim Ryan, managing editor Sara Jerde, opinion editor Xander Zellner and projects editor Allan Smith. Post editorials are independent of the publication's news coverage.
