In a trial for the history books, presidential candidate Donald Trump has been on trial in New York since Monday for covering up a hush money payment to a former porn actress. But the selection of the twelve jury members is lengthy and difficult. Potential candidates left the courtroom en masse; more than 50 percent showed bias.
It is the first criminal trial against a former American president and takes place in the middle of the election campaign. Despite all efforts, Trump’s lawyers have failed to delay at least one of the four upcoming trials; three likely won’t happen until after the November election.
The trial, which started Monday, could take eight weeks. The subject is hush money payments surrounding porn star Stormy Daniels. She states that she has not only dealt with Trump professionally. Trump denies, among other things, an intermezzo, but not the flow of money.
As is customary in the US, 18 jurors (twelve ‘regular’ jurors and six alternate jurors) are called for a hearing. These people must meet a number of criteria – which in Trump’s case do not seem so easy to meet.
On Monday, 96 New York citizens of different age groups were called in to check their eligibility. But they left the courtroom en masse.
Richter insisted on objectivity
More than half of those subpoenaed said they could be neither “fair” nor “impartial” to Trump. Nine others were dismissed by Judge Juan M. Merchan for other reasons.
Merchan stressed that it is essential that “personal feelings and prejudices” are ignored. It is important to make a decision based on evidence and the law.
According to Spiegel, the remaining candidates who felt capable of objectivity and impartiality were asked about their personal background, media consumption, hobbies and their attitude towards Trump.
Based on their answers, lawyers can in turn ask the judge to exclude them ‘for reasonable reasons’. A total of ten potential jurors and two potential alternate jurors can be rejected by the lawyers without giving reasons.
“The defendant is hated”
At the end of the first day of the process, only about a third of the original 96 candidates remained. No jurors have been selected and the selection process will continue Tuesday. The New York Times noted that this painstaking selection showed the difficulty of “selecting an impartial panel in a city where the defendant is widely hated.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
