Watch CBS News

Pa. Supreme Court: Rosfeld Jury Will Be Selected From Dauphin County

Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office says the state Supreme Court has ordered that the jury for Michael Rosfeld's trial be selected from Dauphin County.

The DA's Office says in a tweet: "PA Supreme Court orders that Dauphin County will provide the jury under the change of venire granted in the case of Commonwealth of Pa. v Michael Rosfeld."

A judge ruled last week that the jury for the Antwon Rose shooting trial will be selected from outside Allegheny County.

Judge Alexander Bicket's chambers confirmed he ordered the jury for the high-profile case to be selected from outside Allegheny County.

The "Order of Court Changing Venire" was filed last Monday, Jan. 14, for the trial that is set to begin in February.

Rosfeld, a former East Pittsburgh Police officer, was charged with criminal homicide back in June in connection with the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Rose on June 19, 2018.

The shooting set off a series of protests that went on for weeks. There's now a gag order in the case, but prior to the gag order the defense attorney talked about his concerns.

Patrick Thomassey, Rosfeld's attorney, made the motion to have a jury from another county brought to Allegheny County, or have the case tried elsewhere.

Bicket denied having the case being moved, but he did grant a change of venire – meaning an outside jury will be brought in.

In his ruling, Bicket said, "After consideration of the evidence presented and the test of the venire conducted, this court finds that the pervasive prejudicial pre-trial publically has so tainted and continues to taint the pool of prospective jurors as to deny the defendant his constitutional right to a speedy public trail by an impartial jury."

The process is expensive. When a jury from Allegheny County went to hear the Bill Cosby case in Philadelphia, it cost over $200,000 for security, transportation, lodging and meals.

Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.