Harvey Weinstein is about to go on trial – and 12 men and women in New York will be responsible for determining whether he is guilty. Jury selection is currently under way, with the former Hollywood producer accused of five charges, including rape and predatory sexual assault relating to two alleged victims. But finding impartial juries for such a high-profile case – one that galvanised the #MeToo movement across the world – could be difficult.

The court has summoned 2,000 potential jurors for the case – about five times more than normal – just to find 12 suitable regular jurors and six alternate jurors. And on the very first day of jury selection, a third of the potential jurors present were dismissed outright, after telling the judge they did not think they could be impartial.

“The first few days of jury selection has already underscored just how challenging it’s going to be,” Valerie Hans, a law professor and jury expert at Cornell University says. “When you have large numbers of people saying they can’t be impartial, it’s a wakeup call – because most people think of themselves as generally fair.”(bbc)…[+]