Potential jurors will be asked about their social media habits, specifically whether they have followed Donald Trump in the past or currently do. This information is crucial for ensuring an impartial jury for the first criminal trial of a former president in U.S. history. Over 500 Manhattanites have been summoned to appear in court for jury selection and will face questions about their affiliations with various groups, such as QAnon, Proud Boys, and Antifa.
Trump is facing 34 felony counts related to the alleged falsification of business records in an attempt to hide payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The trial will focus on whether these allegations are true and whether Trump broke the law, and his lawyers will not be allowed to make claims of political motives. The judge will present the case to jurors, outlining the accusations against Trump and the nature of the payments made to Michael Cohen to keep Stormy Daniels quiet before the 2016 presidential election.
Potential jurors will receive a questionnaire with 42 questions, ranging from general inquiries about their background to more specific ones related to their political beliefs and actions. While prosecutors initially wanted to include questions about whether potential jurors believed Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election, these were ultimately scrapped. During the jury selection process, each potential juror will undergo individualized questioning by both Trump’s lawyers and the prosecutors to ensure a fair and impartial jury is selected.
The process of selecting jurors for Trump’s criminal trial will be arduous and potentially days long. As the first of its kind in U.S. history, the trial carries significant weight and scrutiny. Jurors will be questioned about a wide range of topics, including their views on Trump’s innocence or guilt, their affiliations with certain groups, and their social media usage. Ultimately, the goal of the jury selection process is to create a panel of jurors who can set aside their biases and opinions about Donald Trump and focus on the evidence presented in the case to make a fair and just decision.
