Delaware County Daily Times - Nov 28, 2001 Article

Jury selection for Rivera trial dealing with media coverage

Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA) - Wednesday, November 28, 2001

MEDIA COURTHOUSE -- Jury selection got under way yesterday in the murder trial of Robert Rivera , facing charges that he kidnapped and killed his 20-month-old daughter Katelyn in August 1999.

Testimony in the trial will not begin until Jan. 15 for Rivera , 33, who is facing murder charges and a possible death penalty on allegations he kidnapped his daughter from her child care provider's home in Upper Chichester on Aug. 10, 1999.

Her body has not been found and the case against the defendant will rest largely on statements he is accused of making to jailhouse snitches, law enforcement officials and others concerning Katelyn .

Judge Charles C. Keeler began questioning the 125 jurors en masse yesterday shortly before noon. Among the queries posed was whether they had read or heard anything about the case. More than half raised their hands.

Keeler, defense attorney G. Guy Smith and Assistant District Attorney John F.X. Reilly then began questioning each of those who answered in the affirmative at a sidebar conference. The question posed during the private confab apparently concerned whether what they read or knew about the case would affect their ability to be impartial. Twenty-seven of those were dismissed and the panel was whittled down to 98.

The remaining 98 prospective jurors will be questioned individually this week to determine their eligibility to decide the case against Rivera . That questioning will get under way this morning.

Among the issues to be determined is whether a prospective juror is opposed to the death penalty.

Sixteen jurors will be seated, including four alternates, to decide Rivera 's fate.

The defendant, who has acted up in prior court appearances, remained calm yesterday during the tedious process.