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Donald Trump was back in court for day three of his hush money trial in New York on Thursday, where 12 jurors were selected to hear evidence in the historic criminal trial brought against the former president by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg.
The day began with a step backwards as two of the seven jurors confirmed on Tuesday had to be excused over concerns regarding impartiality and how easily they could be identified.
Judge Juan Merchan has been hopeful that the remaining jurors and alternates could be selected by the end of the week with opening statements to begin on Monday. The pace quickened dramatically on Thursday afternoon when a full panel was reached and one alternate was chosen.
Five more are needed. Another panel of potential jurors has been sworn in for tomorrow’s session.
Mr Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 election to ensure her silence about an alleged affair in 2006. He denies the affair and has pleaded not guilty.
Oliver O’Connell18 April 2024 23:00
The big development today is that 12 New Yorkers could be the first jury to convict any American president, who happens to be from New York too.
They come from all over Manhattan, with different professional backgrounds, genders, interests and family lives. At least one person isn’t from the US originally.
All have promised — unlike Trump — to judge their fellow New Yorker fairly and impartially.
Oliver O’Connell18 April 2024 22:38
Full story: Panel of 12 jurors sworn in for Trump’s historic hush money trial
After three days of jury selection, in which hundreds of Manhattan residents were called to the New York Criminal Court, sworn in and asked personal questions – the majority of jury selection has finished.
Ariana Baio and Alex Woodward report from the Manhattan Criminal Court:
Oliver O’Connell18 April 2024 22:30
Court will end early for Passover
Trial proceedings will wrap up early on Monday and Tuesday for the Passover holiday.
Court will run from 9.30am until 2pm with no break for lunch on both days. The defence has requested both days off.
Prosecution attorney Joshua Steinglass asked about the court’s preference for potential witnesses to be present for other witnesses’ testimony.
Defence lawyer Todd Blanche requests the names of the first three witnesses, but Steinglass says that while he would usually as a courtesy, he won’t because Trump has been threatening them on social media.
Blanche suggested that no, Trump wouldn’t do that. Merchan says he can’t make that promise.
“I don’t think you can make that representation,” he said.
Possibly a good indicator of how next Tuesday’s hearing on the gag order violations will go…
Alex Woodward18 April 2024 22:20
In depth: Can these ex-Trump voters swing it for Biden?
Conventional political wisdom regarding Donald Trump states that the people who voted for him in 2016 and 2020 aren’t likely to go for any Democrat this time around — especially not Joe Biden.
But a prominent group of anti-Trump Republicans believes those two-time Trump voters are best positioned to convince others in the GOP to vote to re-elect Biden. And they’re ready to spend big to do so.
Oliver O’Connell18 April 2024 22:00
Alex Woodward reports from the court:
That’s seven men and five women, with some retired folks, a couple of lawyers, people who work in finance, various education backgrounds, including several advanced degrees, one person who doesn’t use social media, and about five people who said they don’t really follow the news at all…
Oliver O’Connell18 April 2024 21:54
Newly selected jurors sworn in
The new jurors are sworn in and jury selection will continue tomorrow.
Judge Merchan asks the empanelled jurors to return on Monday at 9.30am.
He still has hope for opening arguments on Monday.
Oliver O’Connell18 April 2024 21:47
Twelve jurors selected for Trump’s criminal trial
In a flurry of activity, there are now 12 jurors selected to hear evidence on Donald Trump’s historic criminal trial.
In addition, B714 has been chosen as the first alternate.
Five further alternates still need to be picked.
Oliver O’Connell18 April 2024 21:38
How the peremptory challenges were used today
Each side has ten peremptory challenges they can use to strike potential jurors with no cause.
Today, the prosecution struck B784 and B555 and has two more strikes left.
The defence team struck B502, B675, B680 and B782 — they have no more strikes.
The prosecution then struck B496 and B744, using up the last of their strikes.
Oliver O’Connell18 April 2024 21:33
