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Donald Trump was scolded by Judge Juan Merchan for audibly muttering and gesturing at a potential juror after his lawyer Todd Blanche challenged her possible inclusion on the hush money trial jury.
The former president’s legal team unearthed a video on her Facebook of celebrating New Yorkers following his 2020 election defeat. When asked for clarification, Judge Merchan was satisifed with her explanation but told Mr Trump: “I won’t tolerate that,” he said. “I will not let any jurors be intimidated in this courtroom.”
Mr Trump is making history once again as the first American president to ever stand trial on criminal charges.
He is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in a bid to conceal a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election in order to silence her about an alleged affair in 2006.
The charges on their own are misdemeanours but have been elevated to felonies because Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg says they violated state and federal election laws.
Mr Trump denies the affair and has pleaded not guilty.
So far, six jurors have been confirmed. Jury selection continues on Thursday.
The next potential juror is a civil litigator who is married with two children. He spends time outdoors and listens to podcasts Smartless and Car Talk, as well as WNYC.
He is followed by a longtime law enforcement veteran, now retired — not NYPD, Judge Merchan clarifies. He was a civilian police photographer at the detective’s office before moving over to the Department of Corrections, and currently works for two security firms.
“Born and raised in Manhattan, Upper West Side, my whole life, native New Yorker,” he says, adding that he has two adult children, loves cameras and computers (”since DOS”) and charity (”I like giving”).
He said he served on the board of a Democratic organisation, gets news from Google and Facebook (he doesn’t “do the news”), and has lots of friends who committed crimes. “That’s the best I can tell you,” he said, laughing. “They live in my neighbourhood, and we’re friends.”
While saying he is a little nervous, he does not come across as such as some other potential jurors have.
“No stereotypes. I treat people like they are. I love people.”
“A person on trial is just a person on trial.”
On question 37, the one about campaign contributions, he called it a “tricky question” but said he doesn’t have an opinion.
“I judge him as I would judge myself,” he says of Trump.
Another juror is questioned by says he can’t give up his job for the next nearly two months, so he’s excused.
Alex Woodward16 April 2024 21:50
Next up is an Upper East Side resident of 20 years. Originally from New York State, he works in real estate development, has an MBA, and is married with two teenage children who his wife cares for full-time. He reads The Wall Street Journal and listens to the outlet’s podcast What’s News.
He may have inadvertently followed Trump when he first used Twitter but does not use the platform any more. He read The Art of the Deal a long time ago.
“For whatever it’s worth to you, I’m in the Upper East Side and in the real estate business, there are people I know who know people – wouldn’t in any way influence my thinking or anything, but I just wanted to state there are people I know, or people who know.”
Alex Woodward16 April 2024 21:40
Final six jurors from panel one called into box
Alex Woodward reports from the court:
Before addressing the members of panel two on Thursday, Judge Merchan wants to run through the questionnaire stage of the six remaining members of panel one to see if any are suitable for the jury.
The first woman works in healthcare and is worried she can’t commit, so is excused.
Up next, a woman from Connecticut who lives in Harlem who works as a high school teacher. She is unmarried with no children and likes spending time with her dog. Her roommate is an assistant district attorney in the Bronx.
On reflection she decides she cannot be unbiased and is excused.
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 21:32
Earlier: Trump smiles as potential juror says he finds him ‘fascinating’
Alex Woodward reports from the court:
While he craned his neck to listen to a panel of Manhattan residents who could end up delivering a verdict against him, Donald Trump heard from a group of New Yorkers put on the spot to voice their opinions about the former president.
Mr Trump – sitting with his defence attorneys in a Manhattan criminal courthouse for the second day of jury selection in his hush money case – heard from a first-round panel of potential jurors who could end up on the jury.
One man said he finds the former president “fascinating.”
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 21:20
Judge swears in second panel of potential jurors
The second panel of 96 potential jurors has been sworn in.
Judge Merchan introduces himself and apologises for their long wait.
They are excused and asked to return on Thursday at 9.30am (there is no court on Wednesday) so that they can begin promptly.
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 21:02
Six jurors picked
Alex Woodward reports from the courthouse:
We’re waiting for the jurors that have been selected to come back into the room. Judge Merchan will ask them to come back to court on Monday, thinking that we could have all 18 by then.
The clerk is calling out their numbers:
- B400 (our foreperson, juror 1)
- B280 (2)
- B381 (3)
- B89 (4)
- B374 (5)
- B297 (6)
They are sworn in and told by Judge Merchan that this will be their permanent seat for the duration of the trial.
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 20:45
Juror B128 – who we believe is the “happily” retired MTA worker – is asked about social media posts.
“I’d like to say I remember posting this, but I do not,” she said.
Asked if her recollection of the posts changes how she feels about the case, she said it doesn’t.
“Politically we have big disagreements … There are certain things I don’t care for, but lots of people say things I don’t care for. But when I come in here, that can’t count,” she said. “I don’t know what to say.”
Judge Merchan denies Blanche’s request to kick her off.
Alex Woodward16 April 2024 20:30
Three jurors seated so far
Alex Woodward, reporting for The Independent from the courthouse in Lower Manhattan, confirms that we now appear to have three jurors selected.
As a reminder, we need nine more jurors, plus six alternates in case someone is taken ill or cannot complete their service.
The questioning over social media posts continues…
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 20:28
Full story: Trump admonished by judge on day two of criminal case
The Manhattan judge presiding over Donald Trump’s hush money trial slammed the former president after he was “audibly” commenting about a juror and “gesticulating” towards her.
“I won’t tolerate it. I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom,” said an incensed New York Justice Juan Merchan. “I want to make that crystal clear.”
Alex Woodward reports from inside the courthouse:
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 20:22
Next up is juror 6 who has posts promoting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and one about Trump being indicted in the classified documents case.
Blanche says there is also a 90 second AI-generated video of Trump saying “I’m dumb as f***.”
The juror is brought back into the court and confirms it is his account. He clarifies that he sells buttons to raise money to support a PAC that supports grassroots “bring out the vote” organizations that don’t support a specific party.
Of the video he says it was just something he reposted and says that his opinions have nothing to do with the merits of the case.
“It might’ve been on someone’s page that I trust, that I thought it would be funny,” he said.
The judge allows the request to strike him.
Alex Woodward16 April 2024 20:15
