Delaware County Daily Times - Nov 30, 2001 Article

13 picked for Rivera 's murder trial

Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA) - Friday, November 30, 2001

Author: MARLENE DiGIACOMO ; Mdigiacomo@delcotimes.com

MEDIA COURTHOUSE -- A jury of seven men and five women has been selected for the murder trial of accused baby-killer Robert Rivera .

Testimony in the trial will not begin until Jan. 15.

One female alternate juror was also chosen yesterday, bringing the total to 13 seated so far for the proceedings during the two days that the process has been ongoing.

Judge Charles C. Keeler, defense attorney G. Guy Smith and Assistant District Attorney John F.X. Reilly will resume the tedious process today to select five more alternate jurors.

Rivera , 33, of Upper Chichester, is facing first-degree murder charges and a possible death penalty in the kidnapping and apparent killing of his 20-month-old daughter, Katelyn , in August 1999.

The child has not been seen since shortly after Rivera snatched her from her day care provider's home. Her body has not been found. Rivera has given various statements about where she is – sometimes insisting she is alive and at one point ominously saying "only me and God know where Kate-lyn is."

Among those selected for the jury yesterday include a Media woman who works in the real estate field; a Haverford man who works as design engineer and is the father of an 18-month-old son; and a Wallingford computer programmer.

Keeler estimated the case will last three weeks and a total of about 70 witnesses were listed as expected to stand.