'Underwear Bomber' Attorney "Disappointed" With Juror Selection
DETROIT (WWJ) - The "stand by" attorney for a Nigerian charged with trying to destroy an international flight with a bomb on behalf of al-Qaeda, says he is disappointed with the jurors that were picked.
Anthony Chambers talked with Talk Radio 1270 WXYT Morning Show Host and WWJ Legal Analyst Charlie Langton, saying he was upset with the 12-member jury and four alternates chosen to decide the fate of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.
"We are disappointed," Chambers said. "We are very disappointed with the racial composition of the jury. And not just the jury that you indicated, the jury pool itself. In the entire jury pool, to give you an idea, there was only one African-American male in the entire pool. And the of course, he was released."
The trial 24-year-old Abdaulmutallab begins Tuesday. Abdullmutallub is accused of trying to bring down a plane flying from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day 2009. Nearly 300 people were on board.
Although Abdullmutallub is representing himself in the trial, Chambers was appointed by the court to assist him with the trial.
"Who will give the opening statement will not be released until the end of the day today, sometime before 4 p.m. I will tell you yes, the opening statement in any case is significant. However, the opening statement is not the evidence and is not the evidence for which the jury will consider. The opening is merely a road map and the actual evidence is what the jury will decide the case on," Chambers said.
The trail against Abdullmutallub begins Tuesday.
Stay with WWJ and CBSDetroit.com for continuing coverage.
