Finding an impartial jury in the trial of the century is proving to be a challenge in the hush money case against Donald Trump that began on the third day of jury selection.
It turns out that many potential jurors already have an opinion about the ex-president while others are concerned about their own safety and the possibility of their identity being publicly revealed even if they believe they can remain impartial in this case.
The third day of Trump’s secret trial began with seven jurors seated, but two were dismissed throughout the day, bringing the number down to five before more were added.
Dozens of other potential jurors filed into the Lower Manhattan courtroom as the former President of the United States looked on. But many were excused after saying they could not remain impartial.
At the end of the day, twelve jurors were seated. Jury selection for replacements will continue Friday.
Judge Juan Merchan said he hoped opening statements could begin Monday.
Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of the third day of proceedings in Manhattan Criminal Court on April 18, 2024.
Here are the main points to remember:
Twelve jurors seated after two were dismissed
Juror number two was dismissed Thursday.
One was an oncology nurse who was selected to be the second juror, but she was fired after questioning her ability to be fair and impartial.
The woman was arrested before the start of the procedure. She told the court she “definitely has my concerns now”.
The woman said her friends and family pushed things to question her identity as a juror.
“I don’t believe that at this point I can be fair and impartial and not let outside influence affect my decision-making in the courtroom,” she said.
Merchan said he was “sorry” for experiencing that and she was excused.
Juror four was also excused after prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said his team discovered a man with the same name had been arrested for tearing down political ads.
The arrest was not disclosed on the juror questionnaire.
Two alternate jurors were officially added to Trump’s panel, bringing the number down to seven by late afternoon.
A married engineer, originally from California, was later added.
A second man — who follows former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen on Twitter and former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway — also earned a spot on the jury.
By late afternoon, the full 12 jurors were seated for the case.
Two jurors were dismissed Thursday before the full 12 jurors were seated.
Jurors’ privacy is a major concern
Judge Merchan addressed concerns about jurors’ privacy Thursday as attorneys struggled to find a jury for the case.
Merchan said he recognized it was important to obtain information about jurors’ potential employers, but he ordered that information be redacted from the court record and ordered the press not to report such details.
“It’s become a problem,” Merchan said.
He also said the press should not report on jurors’ physical appearance that could be used to help identify them.
The instructions came as one of the jurors expressed concerns Thursday about being publicly identified.
The woman said friends, co-workers and family told her she had been identified as a potential juror and that she was concerned.
She was one of two jurors the judge ultimately dismissed.
Courtroom sketch of Trump sitting with his attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove during jury selection on the third day of his criminal trial on charges of falsifying business records regarding secret money payments
Dozens of people excused despite difficulty finding impartial jurors
The third day of the trial began with 96 new potential jurors entering the courtroom.
But 48 of those potential jurors were dismissed after saying they could not be fair or impartial.
Nine other jurors were excused for other reasons as prosecutors and lawyers work to seat a jury of Trump’s peers.
Those who remained were interviewed individually.
A potential juror who is a paralegal said, “Yes, I will be impartial. I will be very impartial in response to the question of whether she can put aside her prejudices.
Another said she had read Trump’s “The Art of the Deal” decades earlier, but responded “absolutely” when asked if she could decide the case based solely on the evidence and right.
A man who grew up in Italy has been excused after saying it would be a bit difficult to “maintain my impartiality and fairness” given that the Italian media is heavily associated with Trump.
But a lunch break gave more potential jurors time to consider whether they could actually be impartial.
A sketch of Trump paying close attention to juror questioning for his criminal trial on Thursday
A lawyer on the jury pool said she worried she wouldn’t be able to put aside her previous knowledge and thoughts about Trump’s cases.
‘I thought about it during lunch. I think because I’ve spent a year discussing this case with a federal judge and legal experts, I’m afraid I know too much,” she said. “I don’t know if I can put That aside. I’m afraid it will leak out, one way or another.
One said she disagreed with most of Trump’s policies, but said she didn’t have a personal opinion of him.
Another said she didn’t like his “persona” and the way he “presents himself in public.”
“I don’t like some of my colleagues but I’m not trying to sabotage their work,” she added.
Several potential jurors read about Trump and others just in case
The potential jurors who will appear in Manhattan court on Thursday know Donald Trump very well.
One prospective juror said she read Trump’s book, “The Art of the Deal,” decades ago.
Another said he had read several of Trump’s books, including “The Art of the Deal” and “How to Be Rich.” But the man said he could be a “fair and impartial juror.”
A third of Manhattan had also read “Art of the Deal.”
Potential jurors also knew the expected witnesses in this case.
One woman said she read the first ten pages of Michael Cohen’s book “Disloyal” for work.
Another said he followed Cohen’s podcast as well as Trump on social media. He
Trump sometimes seems absorbed, annoys others but holds his tongue in court on the third day
Unlike the first two days of the trial, Trump did not speak to reporters when he arrived in court for the third day of his trial.
The ex-president entered the court with his lawyers around 9:15 a.m. Thursday morning. He waved, but did not make any remarks or answer any questions.
During a break, he also did not speak to reporters or answer questions.
At one point he raised a clenched fist towards the cameras.
As potential jurors arrived, Trump finally turned and looked at them. As potential jurors took their seats in the jury box throughout the day, Trump craned his neck to observe them.
Reporters observing said Trump appeared “engrossed” with the potential jurors seated in the jury box as they gave their answers to the questionnaire.
At other times, he sat silently at the defense table, looking forward.
Trump raises his fist after returning from a break in Manhattan Criminal Court on April 18
Prosecutors urge judge to find Trump in contempt of publications
Prosecutors in the case added seven additional statements made by Trump for the contempt hearing scheduled to take place next Tuesday.
Online posts from Trump’s Truth Social account and his campaign website attacked Michale Cohen.
“Most disturbing” was a claim on Truth Social that there were “undercover liberal activists lying to the judge” to serve on the jury.
Prosecutors have already asked the court to fine Trump $3,000 for three previous violations, but they said they were “considering our options” about what additional penalties were warranted.
“We ask that you convict the defendant of contempt,” prosecutor Chris Conroy said.
Judge Merchan said he would deal with the matter at the hearing on Tuesday.
Judge Juan M. Merchan Issues Silencing Order Against Trump
It’s cold in Manhattan Criminal Court
On numerous occasions throughout the day, the temperature in the courtroom was the topic of conversation, but the judge refused to raise the temperature.
Trump joked with reporters: “Is it cold enough?” as he went out for a lunch break.
Earlier in the day, his lead attorney, Todd Blanche, approached Merchan and asked if he could make the court warmer.
Merchan acknowledged it was cold, but warned that turning up the heat would cause the temperature to rise.
Later, Merchan even apologized to potential jurors for the chill, but said “it’s one extreme or the other.”
Late in the afternoon, Trump could be heard telling an aide “it’s freezing.”
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