Jury selection is currently underway in former President Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial, with a full 12-person jury and one alternate juror sworn in on Thursday. Judge Juan Merchan has called a pool of 96 potential jurors to his Manhattan courtroom to find five more alternate jurors for the trial, expected to last roughly six weeks. If successful, opening statements could take place as soon as Monday. The current jury panel consists of seven men and five women, with varied professions including lawyers, teachers, engineers, and therapists. The foreman, a married man who works in sales, gets his news from The New York Times, MSNBC, and Fox News. The lone alternate selected is a woman who works as an asset manager.
On Friday, Judge Merchan is expected to hold a Sandoval hearing, where defendants are informed of the scope of questions they could face on cross-examination, allowing them to make informed decisions about testifying in their defense. The Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has disclosed in a court filing that they plan to question Trump about various topics, including a $464 million civil judgment against him and his company for fraud, $88 million verdicts for sexual abuse and defamation in lawsuits by writer E. Jean Carroll, and other adverse court rulings over the past few years. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in these cases and is appealing the judgments and verdicts.
The jury selection process is a critical phase in Trump’s historic New York criminal trial. A full jury of 12 members and five alternate jurors are being selected from a pool of 96 potential jurors to hear the case, which is expected to last around six weeks. The current jury panel comprises a diverse group of individuals with varied professions, including lawyers, teachers, engineers, and therapists. The foreman, a married man who works in sales, is appointed as the leader and spokesperson for the panel. The lone alternate juror selected is a woman who works as an asset manager.
In addition to jury selection, Judge Merchan is expected to hold a Sandoval hearing on Friday, where defendants are informed of the questions they could face on cross-examination. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has listed several topics they plan to question Trump about, including a civil judgment for fraud, sexual abuse, and defamation verdicts, and other adverse court rulings from recent years. Trump has denied wrongdoing in these cases and is appealing the judgments and verdicts. If the jury selection process is completed successfully, opening statements could take place as early as Monday, marking the beginning of a trial that will delve into various legal challenges faced by the former president.
Judge Merchan’s effort to fill the jury box with a full panel of 12 jurors and five alternates is crucial for the upcoming trial of former President Donald Trump in New York. With a diverse jury panel consisting of individuals from various professions, the trial is expected to last around six weeks and cover a range of legal issues faced by Trump. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has identified key topics they plan to question Trump about during the trial, including a civil judgment for fraud and sexual abuse and defamation verdicts. Trump has denied wrongdoing in these cases and is appealing the adverse court rulings. The jury selection process continues, with the hope that opening statements could begin as soon as Monday, marking the start of a significant legal battle for Trump.
