Metro

‘Bribe pol’ Stevenson happy with jury selection

Indicted Assemblyman Eric Stevenson thinks he might get a “fair trial” after all.

The embattled Bronx Democrat, facing public corruption charges in Manhattan federal court, said he was “happy” on Monday after a predominantly black and Hispanic jury was selected for his trial. Seven of the 12 jurors were non-whites.

When asked about the jury’s makeup, Stevenson afterwards smiled and told reporters, “I am happy with what I see, and I am happy with the professionalism of [Manhattan federal Chief Judge Loretta Preska] – so far.”

The comments are an about-face from what Stevenson told reporters last week after Preska shot down his latest request to delay his trial. At the time, he accused the feds of targeting him because he’s black and even called on President Obama to come down to Manhattan federal court to check out what he feels is an inequity in justice.

“Another black man targeted, another black man arrested, another black man being tried by an all-white courtroom,” he said Thursday. “This is the never-ending story of America. We have a black president. The reform needs to happen in our Justice Department.”

His lawyer, Muhammad Ibn Bashir, was also fond of the jury selection, saying it’s a “very good cross section of young, old, blacks, whites and Latinos.”

Race wasn’t the only reason that Stevenson claimed was preventing him from getting a fair trial.

Last month, Manhattan federal Judge William Pauley III sided with US Attorney Preet Bharara, rejecting Stevenson’s allegation that he can’t get a “fair trial” because the prosecutor had publicly singled him, saying the pol shouldn’t get a government pension if he’s convicted on bribery charges.

Pauley had rejected a change-of-venue motion to move Stevenson’s trial outside the Southern District of New York, which includes Manhattan, The Bronx and Westchester.

Prosecutors, who will begin opening statements in the trial Tuesday, claim the embattled pol illegally pocketed more than $22,000 in cash and campaign contributions from four co-defendants who allegedly bribed Stevenson to obtain favors and legislation helpful to their Bronx adult day care centers.

All of the co-defendants have pleaded guilty.

Stevenson, 47, got caught in a sting operation in which his co-defendants paid bribes to former Assemblyman Nelson Castro [D-Bronx], who is cooperating with authorities to avoid prosecution for perjury.