The Ghost of Rodney King? The Miles trial got underway on tues. The eight person jury selected has only one black person; five men and three women. Apparently there are no Latino jurors.  From [HERE] A young black man told jurors Thursday he was beaten by three white plainclothes police officers, then choked and told to "shut up" when he began praying during what he contends was a wrongful arrest on a snowy night more than two years ago.

The officers occasionally shook their heads while listening to testimony from 20-year-old Jordan Miles during their federal civil rights trial stemming from his Jan. 12, 2010, arrest. A district judge dismissed all criminal charges, including prowling and assault, against Miles two months later after expressing doubt about the officers' version of events. But on Thursday, the officers' attorneys were ridiculing Miles' version, in particular his claim that he didn't realize the plainclothes officers were police until uniformed officers showed up minutes later.

Defense attorney James Wymard sarcastically referred to his client and two other officers as the "three white mystery men" when cross-examining Miles and, at one point said, "You knew all along, Mr. Miles, that they were police officers." (whether he knew he was running from actual police officers or not - police had no right to beat him until he had brain damage. 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, He is 5-foot-6 and 150 pounds and was unarmed. No weapons were found. He suffers from permanent brain damage. [MORE])