In the ongoing criminal trial against former United States President Donald Trump, twelve jurors and one alternate have been sworn in after a tumultuous day of jury selection. The third day of proceedings saw the dismissal of two previously seated jurors, bringing the total number of jurors down to five before seven more were selected.
The day began with a setback as one juror, a nurse, expressed concerns about her identity being revealed to friends, coworkers, and family members due to media reports. Citing the pressure and potential bias resulting from these outside influences, she was ultimately excused from the jury panel. Another juror, an IT professional, faced questions about the accuracy of the information he provided to the court. Prosecutors discovered that he may have misrepresented himself when answering a question about his criminal history. After confirming the discrepancy, Judge Juan Merchan excused him from the jury.
Despite these setbacks, the defence and prosecution swiftly selected seven additional jurors, completing the 12-member panel. One alternate juror was also named, with five more slated to be chosen in the coming days. The selection process, which can often take weeks, was concluded within a couple of hours.
Judge Merchan emphasized the importance of an anonymous jury and expressed concern over the privacy of the jury pool. He warned against the release of personal information that could potentially identify the jurors, urging journalists to refrain from reporting on physical appearances and specific employment histories.
In a lighter moment, the chilly conditions in the courtroom were addressed, with Judge Merchan attributing the discomfort to the age of the building. Trump himself commented on the cold temperatures, jokingly asking reporters if it was “cold enough.”
As the day concluded, Trump’s lawyer requested the names of the first witnesses the prosecution planned to call. However, the prosecution declined, citing Trump’s history of publicly criticizing witnesses on social media. Trump’s lawyer offered assurances that Trump would not make such posts, but Judge Merchan expressed skepticism about this commitment.
Trump, who is facing a total of four criminal indictments, including the New York case, left the courtroom carrying a stack of articles from legal experts, asserting that the case against him is baseless.
