By EBON’A MAIS & ELIZABETH ELIZALDE
A jury was selected Tuesday in the case of a Harlem man accused of killing his deaf teenage girlfriend two years ago and the trial was scheduled to begin Wednesday.
The jury of 12 of nine women and seven men was empaneled to decide the fate of Bismark Lithgow, 25, who was charged with the second-degree murder of 19-year-old Frances Pellerano and stuffing her body in a 55-gallon drum that was found in his Seventh Avenue apartment, police said.
The families of both, Lithgow and Pellerano were not present at the jury selection.
“He is innocent until proven guilty,” stressed Judge Laura Ward of Manhattan Supreme Court.
The expressionless Lithgow wore a white polo and khakis as he walked handcuffed in to the courtroom with his attorneys. They remained silent.
Ward said the trial could last about four to six weeks and a psychologist was expected to make an appearance to analyze Lithgow’s personality.
According to published reports, Lithgow suffers from bipolar disorder and is also deaf.
On March 2, 2013, Lithgow’s grandmother drove him to St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, because he was acting strange. She returned to her apartment only to find Pellerano’s mutilated body inside with a foul odor.
Lithgow went through a psychiatric evaluation at Bellevue Hospital, then was arrested and charged after his release.
“I need to know that you can be partial and fair,” Ward said to the jury. The diverse group will determine whether to convict Lithgow in the grisly murder.
Reports also said the city medical examiner determined Pellerano was stabbed to death. Pellerano moved in with Lithgow and his grandmother before she was killed, sources said.
She moved from her native Dominican Republic to attend the Rhode Island School for the Deaf. Sources said that Pellerano planned to break up with Lithgow.
It was unclear if Lithgow’s grandmother or Pellerano’s family will testify at trial.
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