The defense made pre-trial motions arguing that the defendants' right to trial by a jury of their peers had been denied because, at that time, a potential grand juror had to meet a minimum property requirement, effectively eliminating the less affluent from service.[50] The defense also argued that the jury selection process for the trial was similarly flawed.[51] Their objections to the jury selection process were not successful and jurors included four African Americans and consisted primarily of working-class citizens.[41]