The process of selecting 12 impartial jurors for Donald Trump’s trial for 34 felony counts was complicated as potential jurors were questioned about their ability to fairly judge him. Some jurors were dismissed after expressing biased opinions towards Trump, with the defense closely monitoring each juror and taking notes on their responses. The judge warned Trump against intimidating potential jurors during the selection process.
The selection process began with 96 jurors, with more than half being excused for their inability to be impartial. After several rounds of questioning and narrowing down the pool, seven jurors were finally seated, including individuals from various professions such as a former waiter, an oncology nurse, an attorney, an IT consultant, a teacher, and a software engineer. The judge was optimistic about having a jury of 12 New Yorkers and potentially six alternates by the end of the week.
Jurors were questioned about their news sources, with some mentioning platforms like TikTok, YouTube, The New York Times, and The Daily Caller. Some jurors admitted to not consuming much news, while others expressed admiration for Trump’s candid communication style. Social media activity was also scrutinized, with some jurors explaining that their posts did not reflect their views or that they had tried to remove political materials from their profiles.
The defense uncovered social media posts and comments from potential jurors that showed animosity towards Trump, leading to further questioning about their ability to remain impartial. Some posts mentioned partisan events like Election Day celebrations and made derogatory remarks about Republicans. One juror was dismissed for using the phrase “lock him up,” a reference closely associated with Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Despite challenges in finding impartial jurors, the selection process continued, with the judge urging selected jurors to return for further proceedings. By the end of the two-day selection process, seven jurors had been seated, and the trial was set to resume later in the week. The defense and prosecution worked to ensure that the chosen jurors would be fair and unbiased in their judgment of the charges against Trump related to falsifying business records.
