Associated Press
The first six jurors for Donald Trump’s hush money trial were chosen Tuesday after lawyers grilled members of the jury pool about their social media posts, political views and personal lives to decide whether they can sit in fair judgment of the former President.
The jurors include an English teacher, an oncology nurse and a corporate lawyer.
Twelve more people still need to be selected before opening statements begin in the Manhattan case accusing the Republican of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal during his 2016 campaign.
On the second day of jury selection, New Yorkers were quizzed for hours about their views on Trump and other issues, and eight were excused after saying they could not be impartial or because they had other commitments. Trump’s lawyers challenged a handful of people over social media posts, and one person was dismissed over a 2017 post about Trump that said “Lock him up!”
Several would-be jurors told the Judge they believed they could decide the case fairly, no matter their feelings about Trump or his policies as President.
The trial, which began Monday, puts Trump’s legal problems at the center of his closely contested race against President Joe Biden. It’s the first of Trump’s four criminal cases to go to trial, and it may be the only one to reach a verdict before voters decide in November whether to elect the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
“I don’t know what he was uttering, but it was audible and he was gesturing. And he was speaking in the direction of the juror,” Judge Juan Merchan said. “I won’t tolerate that. I will not tolerate any jurors being intimidated in this courtroom.”
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass took Trump’s notoriety head-on, telling would-be jurors that attorneys were not looking for people who had been “living under a rock for the past eight years.” They just needed to keep an open mind.
“This case has nothing to do with your personal politics … it’s not a referendum on the Trump presidency or a popularity contest or who you’re going to vote for in November. We don’t care. This case is about whether this man broke the law,” he said.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of an alleged effort to keep salacious — and, he says, bogus — stories about his sex life from emerging during his 2016 campaign.
Before entering the courtroom, Trump stopped briefly to address a TV camera in the hallway, repeating his claim that the Judge is biased against him and the case is politically motivated.
“This is a trial that should have never been brought,” Trump said. After he went inside, reporters saw him wink at one of the court officers and mouth, “How are you?” while he walked down the aisle. Trump then took his seat at the defense table with his attorneys.
With the trial expected to last for six weeks or more, multiple jury pool members brought up plans they have for Memorial Day and beyond. One parent was excused Monday because of a child’s wedding in late June. Another person was dismissed Tuesday because of a trip they have planned.
One man was excused after saying he feared his ability to be impartial could be compromised by “unconscious bias” from growing up in Texas and working in finance with people who “intellectually tend to slant Republican.”
“I’m not sure that I can say beyond a reasonable doubt that I can be fair,” another potential juror told the Judge. “I can try. But I’m not 100% sure I can be fair.” She was also dismissed.
One woman who said she disagrees with Trump’s policies — and sometimes finds herself frustrated by him — pledged to be fair and impartial, telling defense lawyer Todd Blanche that she would give her “level-headed best” if she were picked for the jury.
“I didn’t sleep last night thinking about could I do that,” she said.
After another juror said she would be unable to serve impartially, Trump twisted in his chair, looking in the direction of the box. Through the first few minutes of the day, he appeared generally attentive, jotting down notes and raising sheets of paper to his face as jurors rattled off answers to a lengthy questionnaire.
Trump broke into a grin, nodding his head in an exaggerated manner, when another person said he had read two of the former President’s books, “The Art of the Deal” and “How to Get Rich.” The man, who said some of his wife’s family members are lobbyists for the Republican Party, said he didn’t think there was anything that would prevent him from looking at the case fairly.
“I feel that no one’s above the law,” he said.
The charges center on $130,000 in payments that Trump’s company made to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen. He paid that sum on Trump’s behalf to keep porn actor Stormy Daniels from going public with her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier. Trump has denied the encounter ever happened.
Prosecutors say the payments to Cohen were falsely logged as legal fees. The prosecution has described the money as being part of a scheme to bury damaging stories Trump feared could help his opponent in the 2016 race, particularly as Trump’s reputation was suffering at the time from comments he made about women.
Trump has acknowledged reimbursing Cohen for the payment and that it was designed to stop Daniels from going public about the alleged encounter. But Trump has previously said it had nothing to do with the campaign.
More than half of the 96 people in the first panel of potential jurors brought into the courtroom Monday were excused after telling the Judge they could not be fair and impartial, and several others were dismissed for other reasons that were not disclosed.
In court papers filed Tuesday, prosecutors urged the Judge to fine Trump $3,000 over social media posts they say violated a gag order limiting what he can say publicly about witnesses. In the posts, Trump called Cohen and Daniels “two sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly!”
Prosecutors wrote that the Judge should admonish Trump to comply with the gag order and warn him that further violations could be punished not only with additional fines but also jail time.
If convicted of falsifying business records, Trump faces up to four years in prison, though there’s no guarantee he will get time behind bars.
Trump’s cases involving allegations of election interference and hoarding classified documents could lead to lengthy prison sentences, but those cases are tied up with appeals or other issues that make it increasingly unlikely they will be decided before the election.
And if Trump wins in November, he could presumably order a new attorney general to dismiss his federal cases.
___
Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
24 comments
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April 16, 2024 at 6:26 pm
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Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 16, 2024 at 7:20 pm
Good evening America,
Relax your Sphincters as we have planted that guy that played Kramer and thae guy that played George Castanza on Sienfield in the jury pool.
We dressed them up in business suits so nobody knows its them. They are both going to make it a hung jury by standing up for Trump at the last minute. As for right now they have everyone fooled into thinking they are just “Typical Big Apple Dook 4 Brains Leftys” Hey America …. they are both professional Actors ….. they got this!!!!!
So again everyone can Relax Their Sphincters,8
Earl Pitts American
rick whitaker
April 16, 2024 at 8:25 pm
yeah sphincter man ( earl shits ) i bet you would cheat on a jury selection if you could. being a maga rat, i bet you could justify any criminal despicable act with that maga mentality. earl, i don’t hate you, i just think you are a human tick that’s all. sphincter, sphincter, sphincter, did that excite you by hearing that?
Andrew Finn
April 18, 2024 at 11:22 am
That is a big point that people seem to have over looked Earl. Donald Trump does not need 12 jurors to vote not guilty. All he needs is just 1 not guilty holdout to dump this whole farce in the old pooper. Watch it happen.
Speedy Gonzalez
April 16, 2024 at 7:26 pm
Gracias Mr. Earl,
Slo Poke and me Speedy were getting mighty worry for President Trump. We forgot abouts Mr. Earl.
S.Gonzalez and SloPoke
rick whitaker
April 16, 2024 at 8:16 pm
earl shits, this is an extremely racist comment thinly disguised as a fake earl shits post. billy purser, you are a HARDCORE loser. or should i say, gary burbank, you are a HARDCORE loser, or whatever fake name a loser like you use. but for the purpose of this post, i will call you one of your fake names, EARL SHITS
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 16, 2024 at 8:34 pm
Thanks as always for backing me up with your Wackey Lefty Contrarian Commentary it really helps my rateings.
But, Rick, and all my Besty Leftys like OJ, The Wabbitt, JD, Dr. Frankenstein, MHDuvall, along with a host of other leftys who may be biteing their tounges for fear of an All Powerfull Earl Pitts American Chastizement.
EARL LOVES YOU GUYS:
And I worry about you “Screaming At The Sky” under the upcoming Trump/DeSantis Administration.
So now that I’m aware of yoir Screaming At The Sky upcoming issue I will find a way to keep you my Besty Leftys otherwise occupied so you wont have to Scream At The Sky to the point of “Blowing Out Your Vocal Cords”.
Thank you my Besty Leftys,
Earl Pitts ” Earl Cares About You” American
Speedy Gonzalez
April 16, 2024 at 8:54 pm
Senior Pitts American,
In my country we respect a man like you who can love his enemies and care for them like you Mr. Earl. My cousin SloPoke says he loves you too Senior Pitts.
Speedy
rick whitaker
April 16, 2024 at 9:27 pm
earl shits, you are a huge baffoon. tell me why i’m wrong if you think i am. i’m talking about you being a huge baffoon. fool, idiot, dolt, ass, that is 4 similar terms if you don’t know what baffoon means. some baffoons don’t know what it means.
rick whitaker
April 16, 2024 at 9:36 pm
earl, what no mention in your post about all the fake shit you’re up to. do you think readers of this post don’t notice when you get silent on issues that make you look foolish. they do. your failure to respond on a post means your guilty, your embarrassed, or you don’t want people knowing the ugly truth about your baffoonish ass. give it up punk.
rick whitaker
April 16, 2024 at 11:39 pm
WARNING , THE HEAD SPHINCTER HAS SPOKEN
rick whitaker
April 16, 2024 at 11:40 pm
CAUTION, THE HEAD SPHINCTER HAS SPOKEN
Speedy Gonzalez
April 17, 2024 at 6:43 am
Mr. Earl SloPoke and me have worrys for this mr. Rick since we are not legally here in USA we can go have the Mexican standoff at Mr Ricks house then drive away
be letting me and SloPoke know and we will go help the mr. Rick.
Speedy
Speedy Gonzalez
April 17, 2024 at 6:45 am
SloPoke says the mr. Rick gots angry management issues. SG
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 17, 2024 at 6:58 am
No Speedy, Rick works for me and his Wackey angry Leftist Rants help raise my, Earl Pitts Anerican’s, Sage online political influncer status. There is no need for you and SloPoke to go visit Rick.
Dont worry Rick, I got this, nobody is coming over for visitation my man and keep up the great work Rick. Together, Rick, you and Earl are really making a big difference in the direction our Country will be heading under the Steady and Sage hand of Donald J Trump.
Thanks for all you do Beloved Rick my, Earl Pitts American’s, RIGHT HAND MAN!
*ps Rick its OK to pretend to still be angry at me because it’s what we do to Save Our Great Nation From The Tyranny of The Evil Leftists.*
*QUEUE LOUD PATRIOTIC USA USA USA MUSIC TO BOLSTER RICK’S PRECIOUS FEELINGS!!!!*
rick whitaker
April 17, 2024 at 1:47 pm
WARNING, INANE COMMENT BY SPHINCTER MAN
Peachy
April 17, 2024 at 9:55 am
Yes he does Speedy. He is getting old, angry, and senile like his hero Slo Joe Biden.
rick whitaker
April 17, 2024 at 1:49 pm
CAUTION, INANE COMMENT BY A FAKE SPHINCTER MAN TO A FAKE SPHINCTER MAN
Peachy
April 17, 2024 at 2:03 pm
That was funny there Joe Biden Dos. You do have a sense of humor sometimes you old senile fart.
rick whitaker
April 18, 2024 at 11:56 pm
earl, you got sanity issues. i think that the fact that your home address is so easy to get bothers you. you have insulted lots of people and god knows what other dirty deeds you do at your hideout. try to rest in peace you toad. remember, i have seen that gay posing picture of you on the internet.
rick whitaker
April 18, 2024 at 11:29 pm
EARL, i lived in acapulco mexico in late 68 and early 69. my neighbor is mexican on one side and a black family lives on the other. so i love diversity. i am NOT known to be racist like you are. your white christian nationalistic views are not shared by me or any of my friends. i hope that whoever pulls the plug on you is heard by you as a foreign language. it would be fitting if the last word you heard was that of an immigrant nurse. earl, your overt racism is pretty foul. you wouldn’t want to meet me, i hate guys like you with all that hate and racism. people like you know real fast to leave my presence when they start talking shit. earl, face it, you are an 82 year old miserable punk’s punk.
Bill
April 17, 2024 at 7:40 am
The comments section used to be more fun before the trolls took over.
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 17, 2024 at 8:08 am
Thank you, Bill, for applying as my, Earl Pitts American’s second Wackey Fake Leftist Contrarian Follow-Up Commentator. Bill, I already have everything I need covered by my faithfull beloved employee, Rick, but as a courtsey we will keep your application in an “Open Pool” for 6 months should a vacency come open in our agency.
Thanks Bill we really appriciate your interest in The Earl Pitts American Fan Club, LLC.
Have a great day, Bill, and Thanks but No-Thanks,
Earl Pitts American
rick whitaker
April 17, 2024 at 2:02 pm
BILL, do you have any ideas on how to get earl pitts ( the sphincter man ) off the site so we can have that peace. i have warned about the guy, exposed his real identity and personal history. that’s all i know to do. his over 30 year career was a radio troll for a station in cincinati. so he is addicted to trolling in a redneck drama way. earl pitts is listed on wikipedia under the name gary burbank. his 30 year life of trolling for a living is spelled out well.