The 12 Manhattan residents who will ultimately determine the outcome of the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump in New York have now been selected.
After three days of selecting the jury, where hundreds of New Yorkers were called to the New York Criminal Court, sworn in, and asked personal questions, the majority of the jury was chosen. The panel consisted of five women and seven men.
Five more members are required to complete the full panel of 18, with one alternative already seated.
After the momentous day in court, Mr. Trump wasted no time in reverting to his typical rhetoric. He baselessly labeled the case as a “witch hunt” and placed blame on President Joe Biden, whom he referred to as a “crook,” for the criminal charges brought against him. Additionally, he falsely alleged that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg was the true culprit behind the fabrication of fraudulent documents.
Donald Trump expressed his frustration at being forced to sit in the “freezing” courtroom instead of being out on the campaign trail for the White House. According to the New York criminal trial procedures, Trump is obligated to attend every day of his criminal trial.
Contrary to previous occasions where Mr. Trump appeared disinterested and possibly sleepy, he displayed a higher level of engagement during the jury selection process on Thursday.
The panel of 12 jurors will be the ones to determine whether Mr. Trump is guilty of criminal charges, unless they inform the court that they are unable to serve or are dismissed.
The former president allegedly falsified 34 business records in an attempt to conceal hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
Allegedly, Mr. Trump was involved in a broader catch-and-kill scheme with his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, and the ex-publisher of The National Enquirer. The purpose of this scheme was to suppress unfavorable stories about him and manipulate the election.
Mr. Trump has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and entered a plea of not guilty to all 34 charges.
The jury selection process was expected to be time-consuming, but surprisingly, the defence, prosecution, and judge were able to find 12 suitable individuals relatively quickly. However, two jurors who were previously selected had to be dismissed on Thursday morning due to concerns about the publicity of their identities.
Judge Juan Merchan took the necessary steps to ensure the anonymity of the jury during the high-profile trial, considering Mr. Trump’s track record of criticizing court staff, witnesses, and the prosecution. He specifically requested the media to refrain from disclosing any information beyond what was shared during the jury selection process in order to protect their identities. Additionally, he requested that any references to current or former employers be redacted from the transcript to maintain the confidentiality of the jury.
The panel consists of 12 individuals with diverse educational backgrounds, including individuals with advanced degrees. Among them are two lawyers, three engineers, one retired teacher, and one person in finance.
Several jurors admitted that they were not avid followers of the news. In fact, one juror even mentioned that they were not active on any social media platforms.
Throughout the jury selection process, Mr. Trump remained engaged and attentive, directing his focus towards the jury box. Whenever potential jurors expressed criticism of his policies, he subtly signaled to his lawyers, either with a tap or a whispered comment.
Former President Listened to New Yorkers’ Opinions for Hours
During a recent event, the former president patiently listened to the diverse opinions of his fellow New Yorkers for several hours.
The actions of the individual were described by a larger number of potential jurors as “outrageous,” “self-serving,” and “selfish.” One juror even went as far as to say that the individual was “pretty amazing.”
During the jury selection process, a prospective juror was summoned for additional questioning due to her negative social media posts about the former president spanning from 2016 to 2021. She was asked to recite a post in which she referred to Mr. Trump as “racist” and subsequently expressed remorse to the former president.
Throughout the day, Mr. Trump remained remarkably at ease, even in the face of challenging remarks from prospective jurors. He managed to keep his emotions in check until he had left the courtroom.
Jury selection is still ongoing, even though the first 12 jurors and one alternate have already been chosen. The process will continue on Friday to select five more alternates.
Opening statements are anticipated to commence on Monday, according to Judge Merchan.
Jury selection is still ongoing, even though the first 12 jurors and one alternate have been chosen. The process of selecting five more alternates will resume on Friday, following the Sandoval hearing.
In criminal cases, when a defendant has a history of misconduct or criminal acts and intends to testify, a Sandoval hearing is often conducted. During this hearing, prosecutors have the opportunity to request a judge’s permission to explore the defendant’s past in order to effectively cross-examine them.
In this instance, Mr. Trump has expressed his willingness to testify, and the district attorney’s office has requested Judge Merchan’s permission to bring up various cases, including the E Jean Carroll defamation case, the Trump Organization civil fraud case, the Trump Organization criminal tax case, and others.
During the hearing on Friday, Judge Merchan will review the information and make a determination.
