A jury of 12 individuals was successfully seated on Thursday in the trial of former President Donald Trump, which revolves around allegations of hush money payments made to porn actor Stormy Daniels. The court swiftly moved on to selecting alternate jurors, marking significant progress in the case. The trial is set to feature opening statements and weeks of testimony, with Trump facing 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records in an attempt to suppress stories about his sex life during the final days of the 2016 election.
The jury comprises a diverse group, including a sales professional, a software engineer, an English teacher, and multiple lawyers. However, the selection process has not been without its challenges. Earlier in the day, two jurors were dismissed for various reasons. One juror expressed doubts about her ability to remain impartial after details about her identity were disclosed, while another was let go due to concerns over potentially inaccurate answers provided during the selection process.
In a separate development, prosecutors have requested that Trump be held in contempt over a series of social media posts made this week. Additionally, the judge has prohibited reporters from revealing the jurors’ employers, citing privacy concerns. The trial is expected to proceed with twelve jurors and six alternates, and opening statements could commence as early as Monday, according to Judge Juan Merchan.
The process of selecting a jury for such a high-profile case involving a former president has proven challenging. More than half of the 96 prospective jurors brought into the courtroom on Thursday were dismissed, with many expressing doubts about their ability to remain fair and impartial. The inherent difficulties in finding jurors without knowledge of Trump’s background have been acknowledged by both the prosecution and defense.
The trial centers on a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, to Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election. Prosecutors argue that Trump falsified business records to conceal the true nature of the payments when his company reimbursed Cohen. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing and maintains that the payments were legitimate legal expenses.
