Stagliano Trial Jury Selected

WASHINGTON — The jury was seated in the obscenity trial of John Stagliano on Monday, with opening arguments in the case set to begin tomorrow at 10:45 a.m.

The racial make-up of the jury is 10 blacks and two whites, with the gender lines breaking down to five men and seven women.

Two alternate jurors were also seated, a white man and a black woman.

Judge Richard J. Leon also told the defense team that he was not going to allow them to show the jury the entirety of the two films in question, totaling five-and-a-half hours of footage.

Leon indicated he would give them a more substantial ruling, including his reasoning, about the defense’s motion soon, but that he didn’t want the defense to make promises to the jury in their opening arguments that they would not be able to keep.

“I didn’t want you to get caught by surprise,” Leon said to the defense team.

Defense attorney H. Louis Sirkin told the judge he would like to enter an objection on the record to the judge’s decision.

Prosecutors have indicated they intend to show the jury approximately half-an-hour of footage from each film, "Milk Nymphos" and "Storm Squirters 2," plus the eight-minute trailer to "Fetish Fanatic 5."

Leon said he will permit the defense to play portions of the two films not shown by the prosecutors, but in terms of how much and which portions, he has not yet ruled.

Before excusing the jury around 5 p.m., Leon admonished them not to talk to anyone about the case, or, under threat of contempt of court, to read or listen to any media accounts about the trial.

After the jury was excused, lead prosecutor Pamela Stever Satterfield asked Leon if tomorrow, as part of his instructions to the jury, he would explain and instruct them on the Miller test of obscenity. Leon said he would not, although he likely will in his final instructions to them before they deliberate on the case.

Throughout the afternoon's court session, 14 potential jurors were excused in pre-emptive challenges by the defense and prosecutors.

During pre-emptive challenges, lawyers do not need to provide a reason for striking a potential juror. Two men, one white and one black, were excused as potential jurors, as were seven black women and five white women.

In the afternoon session seated in the audience of the courtroom was the director of "Storm Squirters 2," Joey Silvera, industry attorney J.D. Obenberger as well as John Stagliano’s wife, Karen Stagliano.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Proposed Australian eSafety Codes Include AV Requirement for Adult Sites

Australia’s online safety regulator, eSafety, is reviewing the final draft of proposed safety codes that include a requirement for adult sites to implement age assurance measures for Australian users.

Ofcom Q&A: Preparing for Age Verification Under the UK's Online Safety Act

In January, the U.K.’s online safety regulator, Ofcom, published its guidance on how online services that host adult content need to verify users’ ages under Ofcom’s rules.

Alabama Senate Committee Approves Porn Filtering, App Store-Based AV Bills

The Alabama state Senate’s Children and Youth Health Committee on Thursday approved two bills intended to prevent minors from accessing adult content online, one aimed at device manufacturers and the other aimed at app store providers.

Sen. Mike Lee Renews Push for Federal AV Legislation

Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah on Wednesday reintroduced a federal age verification bill that has twice previously failed to make it through Congress.

South Dakota Governor Signs AV Law With Criminal Charges

South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden has signed into law a bill imposing criminal charges on sites that fail to perform age verification of users when providing access to adult content.

UK Pornography Review Recommends Banning 'Extreme' Content

The “pornography review” initiated under the conservative government of former U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is soon expected to present its recommendations, which according to a BBC report will include banning any adult content deemed “degrading, violent and misogynistic.”

Malaysian Government Urges Tech Companies to Continue Porn Crackdown

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has asked all social media and online messaging platforms with at least 8 million users to register as application service providers beginning this year, in an effort to monitor and prevent pornography on such sites.

Ms. Magazine Exposes Anti-LGBTQ+ Effects of AV Laws

Ms. magazine on Tuesday published an article examining how state age verification laws, promoted as a way to protect children online, are being used to censor LGBTQ+ and abortion-related content.

New EU User Stats Could Reclassify Major Adult Sites Under DSA

Three high-traffic adult sites previously classified as “very large online platforms” under the European Union’s Digital Services Act are reporting user numbers below the threshold for that label, opening the way for possible downgrading of their obligations under that law.

Singapore Livestreamer Jailed for Performing 'Obscene Acts' in Public

A judge in Singapore on Thursday sentenced a Vietnamese woman to three weeks in jail for livestreaming “obscene acts” from a public area.

Show More