More Likely than Not, Did Racist Pittsubrgh Police Brutally Beat Unarmed Black Student? A struggle for the jury composed of 7 whites and one black male. Did Miles' attorney screw up by filing suit in federal court? Federal juries are drawn from the entire southwestern corner of the state, meaning the pool skews white and old. The jury pool of 60 people included just three African-Americans, and the defense had the right to strike any six of the final 20 pool members, so Mr. Miles' legal team had reason to expect an all-white panel. The defense tried to strike the lone African-American among the 20 finalists. But Mr. Miles' attorneys successfully filed what's called a Batson challenge. [MORE] From [HERE] Federal court jurors have ended a third day of deliberations without a verdict in the civil rights trial of three white Pittsburgh police officers being sued for allegedly beating and wrongfully arresting a young black man, but have yet to return a verdict.
The jurors will return Tuesday morning to continue deliberating wrongful arrest, malicious prosecution and excessive force claims of 20-year-old Jordan Miles. Jordan claims undercover officers approached him without articulable suspicion. Officers chased him when he ran and when they caught up with him they beat him into submission by delivering violent blows that left his face swollen and distorted. Police also used a stun gun and pulled out a chunk of his hair. The officers put him in handcuffs, and repeatedly shoved his face into the snow, causing a piece of wood to impale his gums, Miles has said. He is 5-foot-6 and 150 pounds and was unarmed. No weapons were found. He suffers from permanent brain damage. [MORE]
The plainclothes officers say Miles appeared to be prowling and looked like he had a gun before they stopped him on Jan. 12, 2010, then punched and kneed him after he tried to run away.
But Miles says the officers didn't identify themselves as police and rushed up to him asking if he had money, drugs and a gun, so he panicked fearing he was being robbed.