A-TEAM

Jury Whisperer Who Crafted ‘Perfect Juror’ for O.J.’s Trial Is on Rittenhouse Team

Jo-Ellan Dimitrius was seen comforting Kyle Rittenhouse’s mother on Wednesday as the defendant broke down in tears on the stand.

Jo-Ellan Dimitrius, a jury consultant known for her place on O.J. Simpson’s so-called “Dream Team” during his 1995 murder trial, is now working with Kyle Rittenhouse and his defense, a Dimitrius & Associates spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast on Thursday. Dimitrius was photographed comforting Rittenhouse’s mom on Wednesday as the teen broke down in tears on the stand, and speaking to lead attorney Mark Richards during jury selection earlier this month.

“Yes, Dr. Dimitrius is involved with the Rittenhouse defense,” the spokesperson said on Thursday, declining to comment further. Dimitrius is said to be an expert in observing jurors’ body language and anticipating their behavior. More than two decades ago, she helped build the jury for Simpson’s trial, profiling the “perfect juror”—a “female African-American with high-school education or less”—to get an acquittal. According to a 2016 profile, Dimitrius’ advice helped secured “a jury more inclined to be sympathetic with Simpson.” Rittenhouse’s own jury was seated on Nov. 1 after questioning lasted all of a single day. One member of the jury is a person of color; the other nineteen are white.