NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Twelve jurors and one alternate have been seated in 's hush money case, quickly propelling the jury selection process forward that saw two jurors dismissed 鈥� one after she expressed new doubt in her ability to be fair and impartial following the disclosure of details about her identity and the other over concerns that he may not have been truthful about whether he had ever been accused or convicted of a crime.
Lawyers in the trial now need to select five alternates to round out the panel that will decide the first-ever criminal case against a former U.S. president.
Trump has to of falsifying business records as part of to bury stories he feared could hurt his 2016 campaign.
The allegations focus on payoffs to two women, porn actor Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, who said they had extramarital sexual encounters with Trump years earlier, as well as to a Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about a child he alleged Trump had out of wedlock. Trump says none of the alleged sexual encounters occurred.
The case is the first of Trump's four indictments to reach trial.
Currently:
鈥� Jury selection process follows a familiar pattern with
鈥� Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena
鈥� After 7 jurors were seated in Trump's trial on Tuesday, he trekked to a New York bodega
鈥� Only 1 in 3 US adults think Trump acted illegally in New York hush money case,
鈥� Trump trial: Why can鈥檛 Americans see or hear what is happening ?
Here's the latest:
1 ALTERNATE JUROR SEATED
One alternate juror in Donald Trump's hush money trial late Thursday, leaving lawyers in the case to select five more and rapidly bringing the trial closer to opening statements.
The jury includes a sales professional, a software engineer, an English teacher and multiple lawyers.
ALL 12 JURORS SEATED
All 12 jurors in Donald Trump's hush money trial have been seated, quickly propelling the jury selection process forward late Thursday afternoon. Lawyers now need to select six alternates to round out the panel that will decide the first-ever criminal case against a former U.S. president.
TWO MORE JURORS SEATED IN TRUMP TRIAL
Two more jurors have been seated in Donald Trump's hush money trial, bringing the number of seated jurors back to seven.
The newly seated jurors replace two jurors who were sworn in on Tuesday, but who were both dismissed by Judge Juan M. Merchan earlier Thursday.
The first juror was excused after she expressed new doubt in her ability to be fair and impartial following the disclosure of details about her identity while the other was dismissed over concerns that some of his answers in court may have been inaccurate.
POTENTIAL JURORS WARNED ABOUT IMPLICIT BIAS
As they questioned prospective jurors in Donald Trump's hush money trial, attorneys for the former president warned them about the impacts of implicit bias.
鈥淭he problem with biases is they color the way you look at the world. What you may believe and may not,鈥� Susan Necheles said. 鈥淲e wouldn鈥檛 allow someone who has a strong dislike for a certain type of people to sit on a jury of that type of person.鈥�
Necheles was responding to remarks from two possible jurors about their opinions of Trump.
A woman from the Upper West Side had acknowledged, in response to questions, that she did have strong feelings about the former president. 鈥淵es. I disagree with most of his policies,鈥� she said.
Shortly after, another woman spoke in even stronger terms. 鈥淗e just seems very selfish and self-serving, so I don鈥檛 really appreciate that in any public servant,鈥� she said.
Trump appeared to perk up during both comments, turning around to look in the direction of the box. Both women said it would not impact their ability to act impartially.
PROSECUTOR TELLS POSSIBLE JURORS THEY'LL HAVE TO USE 鈥楥OMMON SENSE鈥� TO COME TO CONCLUSIONS
Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass began his questioning of the prospective jurors in Donald Trump's hush money trial much the same way he did earlier this week 鈥� acknowledging the unusual publicity surrounding the case and asking the group of 18 seated in the box whether it would impact their ability to evaluate evidence fairly.
He called first on a lifelong Manhattan resident who works in law enforcement. 鈥淚 could be objective,鈥� the man told him.
During subsequent questioning of an attorney who previously said she鈥檇 followed the case closely and could still be impartial, the individual told Steinglass that she had since changed her mind.
鈥淚鈥檓 worried that I know too much,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 worried that it鈥檚 going to seep in, in some way,鈥� she added.
Steinglass thanked her for her candor and moved on.
Steinglass later acknowledged that no witness will say that Trump directly told them: 鈥淟et鈥檚 pull the wool over the American public鈥檚 eye so I can get elected.鈥�
Rather, the prosecutor said, jurors would have to analyze the evidence and apply 鈥渃ommon sense鈥� to draw conclusions.
CHILLY COURTROOM AS QUESTIONING RESUMES
A chill of sorts came over the proceedings in Donald Trump's criminal case when Trump lawyer Todd Blanche asked the judge whether the temperature in the courtroom could be raised.
Manhattan鈥檚 main criminal courthouse is over 80 years old, and the building has many quirks.
Judge Juan M. Merchan said if they tried to raise the heat even slightly, the room would probably end up getting way too hot.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no question it鈥檚 cold, but I鈥檇 rather be a little cold than sweat,鈥� the judge said.
Still, Merchan later addressed the frigid nature of the courtroom ahead instructing prospective jurors how voir dire 鈥� the process of lawyers from both sides asking them questions 鈥� works.
鈥淚 want to apologize that it鈥檚 chilly in here,鈥� he said, eliciting laughs. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to do the best we can to control the temperature, but it鈥檚 one extreme or the other.鈥�
COURT BREAKS FOR LUNCH
Court proceedings in former President Donald Trump's hush money case have halted for a lunch break. Proceedings will resume at 2:15 p.m. ET.
The most recent crop of 18 potentials in the jury box, including an initial juror who was excused and replaced by another man, have now gone through the standard screening questionnaire. After lunch, they will be questioned by lawyers.
QUESTIONING OF POTENTIAL JURORS RESUMES
Legal counsel in Donald Trump's criminal trial has returned to questioning prospective jurors in the case after Judge Juan M. Merchan dismissed a second previously seated juror.
While multiple seated and prospective jurors are lawyers, another potential jury member has a good deal of experience specifically being a juror.
The longtime Manhattanite said that over the years, she鈥檚 been a juror in a criminal trial and a civil insurance fraud case that both reached verdicts. She also served as an alternate juror on a malpractice case that was resolved during deliberations, she said.
The woman, who works as a paralegal, said there was no reason she couldn鈥檛 serve as a juror in Trump鈥檚 case, too.
MERCHAN DISMISSES A SECOND SEATED JUROR
Judge Juan M. Merchan has removed a second seated juror from Donald Trump's hush money trial after prosecutors raised concerns that the man may not have been truthful about whether he had ever been accused or convicted of a crime.
The decision came after the judge questioned the jurors alongside lawyers out of earshot of reporters. The judge later said the juror had 鈥渆xpressed annoyance about how much information about him had been out in the public.鈥�
That echoes the concerns of another juror dismissed earlier Thursday. She said family members and friends questioned her about being a juror even though their names are being kept secret.
PROSPECTIVE JURORS GIVING VAGUER ANSWERS TO EMPLOYMENT QUESTIONS
Instead of disclosing where they work, as other potential jurors in Donald Trump's hush money case had done earlier this week, the latest group gave more generic answers on Thursday.
The shift in demeanor came after Judge Juan M. Merchan scolded the press for reporting identifiable details about the potential jurors, ordering them not to report on questions about their current and former employers and noting the answers would be redacted from court transcripts.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a reason that this is an anonymous jury,鈥� Merchan had said. 鈥淚t kind of defeats the purpose of that when so much information is put out there that it is very easy for anyone to identify who the jurors are.鈥�
It wasn鈥檛 clear if they were directly instructed to avoid giving specifics about their employers.
The first prospective juror was an attorney who mentioned having attended the Women鈥檚 March and reading a book by former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz. previously oversaw the investigation into the allegations at the center of the hush money case, and his book detailed his work on it.
鈥淚鈥檝e discussed the legal merits of this case with many coworkers,鈥� she added. When asked whether she could still be a fair and impartial juror despite that, she let out a deep sigh before responding, 鈥淵es.鈥�
OVER HALF OF LATEST JURY POOL EXCUSED
Fifty-seven out of the second round of 96 potential jurors in Donald Trump's hush money trial have been excused after saying they can鈥檛 serve.
Some 48 people indicated Thursday morning that they could not serve fairly and impartially. An additional nine said they couldn鈥檛 serve for some other reason, which they were not asked to state.
SECOND PANEL OF 96 PROSPECTIVE JURORS NOW IN CO
URT FOR QUESTIONING
The second wave of potential jurors in Donald Trump's criminal trial is now in court to begin the questioning phase of jury selection.
As with the first big group, the judge will explain the basics of jury service along with the case, then ask for a show of hands from any panelists who don鈥檛 believe they can serve fairly and impartially. After, he鈥檒l ask for a similar indication from any who don鈥檛 believe they can serve for another reason.
More than half of the 96 potential jurors in the first group were dismissed after they said they couldn鈥檛 be fair and impartial.
STATUS OF ANOTHER SEATED JUROR IN LIMBO
The status of a second juror seated for Donald Trump鈥檚 hush money trial was in limbo Thursday after he failed to report to court to address concerns that some of his answers in court may not have been accurate.
Prosecutors found an article from the 1990s about a man with the same name as the juror being arrested for tearing down political advertisements in suburban Westchester County. The posters were on the political right, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass said.
Steinglass also disclosed that a relative of the man may have been involved in a nonprosecution agreement in the 1990s with the Manhattan district attorney鈥檚 office, which is prosecuting Trump鈥檚 case.
Judge Juan M. Merchan had instructed the man to come to court at 9:15 a.m. Thursday to answer questions and verify whether the people involved were him or his relative.
Merchan noted the juror鈥檚 apparent 鈥渞eluctance to come in鈥� and asked both sides if they鈥檇 consent to having him removed without further inquiry. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche declined, saying he wanted to first hear what the man had to say.
Under questioning earlier this week, the man had said he hadn鈥檛 been convicted of a crime.
PROSECUTORS WANT TRUMP SANCTIONED FOR MORE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS
Prosecutors in Donald Trump's hush money trial told Judge Juan M. Merchan on Thursday that they wanted the former president held in contempt and sanctioned for seven more posts they said violated his gag order.
Trump's new posts came after the prosecutors initially sought a $3,000 fine on Monday for three other Truth Social posts.
Prosecutor Christopher Conroy said several of the new posts involved an article that referred to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as a 鈥渟erial perjurer鈥� and another from Wednesday that repeated a claim by a Fox News host that liberal activists were lying to get on the jury.
Trump lawyer Emil Bove said Cohen 鈥渉as been attacking President Trump in public statements,鈥� and that Trump was just replying.
Merchan had already scheduled a hearing for next week on the prosecution鈥檚 request for contempt sanctions over Trump鈥檚 posts.
JUDGE ORDERS JOURNALISTS NOT TO REPORT ON POTENTIAL JURORS' EMPLOYERS
After dismissing a seated juror in Donald Trump's hush money trial, Judge Juan M. Merchan admonished the media for reporting details about the seated and potential jurors that could be used to identify them, ordering them not to report prospective jurors鈥� answers to questions about their current and former employers.
鈥淎s evidenced by what鈥檚 happened already, it鈥檚 become a problem,鈥� he said Thursday morning.
He also directed reporters to 鈥渁bide by common sense鈥� and avoid writing about the physical characteristics of the people called to serve.
鈥淲e just lost what probably would have been a very good juror,鈥� the judge continued. 鈥淪he said she was afraid and intimidated by the press, all the press.鈥�
PREVIOUSLY SEATED JUROR EXCUSED, CITING IMPARTIALITY CONCERNS
A juror who had been selected for Donald Trump鈥檚 criminal hush money trial was dismissed Thursday after she told the court she鈥檇 become concerned about her ability to be impartial.
Although the jurors鈥� names are being kept confidential, the woman, a nurse, 鈥渃onveyed that after sleeping on it overnight she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial in this case,鈥� Judge Juan M. Merchan said before calling her into the room for questioning.
The woman said her family members and friends were questioning her about being a juror.
With the woman's dismissal, the total number of seated jurors dropped to six. Attorneys now need to pick 12 more people to serve on the panel that will decide the former president's criminal case.
Merchan admonished the media for reporting details about the jurors that could be used to identify them.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a reason that this is an anonymous jury,鈥� Merchan said. 鈥淚t kind of defeats the purpose of that when so much information is put out there that it is very easy for anyone to identify who the jurors are.鈥�
鈥淭he press is certainly entitled to write about anything that鈥檚 said on the record because it鈥檚 on the record,鈥� Merchan said, but he added that he鈥檚 directing reporters to 鈥渁bide by common sense鈥� and not do things like writing about physical characteristics of the people called to serve.
TRUMP ARRIVES IN COURT AS TRIAL RESUMES
Donald Trump sat at the defense table in a Manhattan courtroom Thursday morning, talking on a cell phone for about 30 seconds before his lawyers came over and put it away.
Trump looked sternly ahead while being photographed, a stark contrast from a moment earlier when he was casually chatting with lawyer Todd Blanche before the photographers arrived.
While the trial , Judge Juan M. Merchan is allowing a handful of still photographers to shoot photos of Trump before each day鈥檚 proceedings start.
Harvey Weinstein was for playing with his phone by a different judge during his trial in the same courtroom four years ago.
Trump鈥檚 cell phone usage happened while court was not in session and before the judge had taken the bench.
Generally, cell phone usage 鈥� and certainly making or taking calls 鈥� is prohibited in New York courtrooms.
TRUMP HEADS TO COURT FOR ANOTHER DAY OF JURY SELECTION
Former president Donald Trump has left Trump Tower, on his way to court in Manhattan on Thursday for another day of jury selection in his criminal hush money trial.
The jury selection process has moved swifter than expected, prompting Trump when departing the courthouse on Tuesday to complain to reporters that the judge, , was 鈥渞ushing鈥� the trial.
Merchan has suggested that opening statements could start on Monday.
JURY SELECTION MARKS A CRITICAL PHASE IN THE TRIAL
The seating of the Manhattan jury in Donald Trump's hush money trial will be a seminal moment in the case, setting the stage for a trial that will place the former president鈥檚 legal jeopardy at the and feature potentially unflattering testimony about Trump鈥檚 private life in the years before he became president.
The process of picking a jury is a critical phase of any criminal trial but especially so when the defendant is a former U.S. commander-in-chief and the presumptive Republican nominee for this year's presidential election.
Inside the court, there鈥檚 broad acknowledgment of the futility in trying to find jurors without knowledge of Trump, with a prosecutor this week saying that lawyers were not looking for people who had been 鈥渓iving under a rock for the past eight years.鈥�
The Associated Press
