Here is a wrap-up of the day’s key events:
12 jurors have been selected for Donald Trump’s historic criminal trial. One alternate juror has also been selected, with jury selection for five more alternates to resume tomorrow morning. The confirmations came after two jurors were removed from the jury earlier on Thursday.
The first juror dismissed said she no longer believed she could be unbiased in the case. Since being selected on Tuesday, she had been targeted by Fox News host Jesse Watters, and said she had received a flurry of text messages from friends and family that led her to believe she had been identified.
The second juror was excused after prosecutors expressed concerns that he may not have been truthful on his jury questionnaire. Prosecutors noted they found an article about a person with the same name who had been arrested in the 1990s for tearing down political posters.
Prosecutors accused Trump of violating a gag order seven additional times. They have already filed a previous request to sanction him for breaking the order and a hearing on the issue is scheduled for next week.
Judge Juan Merchan asked the media to stop reporting physical descriptions about potential jurors, concerned about their anonymity. Earlier this week he admonished Trump against intimidating jurors.
That’s it as we wrap the blog up for today. Thank you for following along.
Donald Trump was looking down at his hands on the table in front of him as judge Juan Merchan outlined next steps moving towards opening statements, which he hopes will be Monday.
The confirmed jurors looked somber as they were sworn in, raising their right hands and swearing to hear the case in a “fair and impartial manner,” according to a trial pool report.
Judge Juan Merchan said that jury selection for alternate jurors will continue on Friday and that he remains hopeful that the case will proceed to opening statements on Monday.
All twelve juror confirmations came after a few setbacks, including the removal of two earlier jurors on Thursday.
An alternate juror has been picked.
According to a trial pool report, the details of the first chosen alternate juror are: B714, seat 18 (alternate 1).
All 12 jurors have been seated.
Here are the details for the last two jurors who were selected: B500, seat 16 (juror 11) and B440, seat 17 (juror 12).
The jury selection has now moved on to choosing six alternate jurors.
Three more jurors have been seated, bringing the total number of confirmed jurors to 10.
According to a trial pool report, the juror details are: B639, seat 8 (juror 8), B423, seat 12 (juror 9) and B789, seat 14 (juror 10).
Two jurors have been seated to backfill the empty spots that were left by two other jurors who were removed earlier.
According to a trial pool report, the jurors are B565 (juror number 2) and B470 (juror number 4).
Susan Necheles challenged the potential juror who stayed at her house overnight fifteen years ago, according to a trial pool report.
Necheles also pointed to the potential juror’s husband who reviewed New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman’s book on Donald Trump’s crimes.
Judge Juan Merchan asked the potential juror about her and her husband’s friendship with Necheles, to which the potential juror responded:
“About 15 years ago, I met her through my husband, they were both lawyers at the time… We went and stayed at her house.”
She went on to add that she has not spent time with Necheles since and would not have recalled the sleepover if her husband had not reminded her.
The potential juror said that her husband was a general counsel at a company and also reviews books.
Merchan also asked the potential juror if she discussed her husband’s opinion of Trump. In response, the potential juror said that they frequently talk about politics but did not discuss this particular case with him.
The potential juror also said that she could be fair, adding, “I should say I work in publishing also, and I have published voices on both sides, so I do believe everyone deserves a voice.”
After the potential juror left, Necheles renewed her objection, to which Merchan denied.
“She doesn’t really know you,” Merchan said. In response, Necheles said that she did not remember her until her husband reminded her.
“And she had to be reminded of that, yes?” Merchan said, adding, “Your challenge for cause is denied,” according to the trial pool report.
Donald Trump’s lawyer Susan Necheles is moving to strike a potential juror for cause because the woman stayed at her house overnight 15 years ago.
Following a quick departure from his bench, judge Juan Merchan returned, saying:
“We started the day with seven, and unfortunately we’re down to five,” according to a trial pool report.
Attorneys are also set to make “for cause” challenges on several of the 18 potential jurors who were questioned earlier.
Judge Juan Merchan has sworn in another group of potential jurors and instructed them to appear at the courthouse at 11:30am on Friday.
According to trial pool reports, Merchan apologized to group for having to wait around all day with nothing happening.
Donald Trump’s attorney Susan Necheles questioned a potential juror on her thoughts towards the former president, according to a trial pool report.
“I don’t have strong opinions, but I don’t like his persona. How he presents himself in public,” the prospective juror said, adding, “I don’t like some of my coworkers but I don’t try to sabotage their work.” The jury box laughed in response.
The potential juror went on to add, “He seems very selfish and self serving… I don’t really appreciate that from any public servant.”
“It sounds a bit like what you’re saying is you don’t like him, based on what you’re saying,” Necheles said, to which the potential juror responded, “Yes.”
Source: US Politics - theguardian.com
