A full jury of 12 jurors and 6 alternate jurors has been seated in former U.S President, Donald Trump’s hush money trial.
An alternate juror listens to the testimony, just like all the other jurors, but does not join in the deliberations unless one of the main jurors needs to drop out or is removed.
The selection of all 18 jurors came not without setbacks, as Judge Juan Merchan dismissed two seated jurors earlier this week over identity and credibility concerns.
With the jury bench now full, the trial is expected to move towards opening statements next week.
Judge Juan Merchan said that lawyers will present opening statements on Monday, April 22, 2024, morning before prosecutors begin laying out their case.
Despite the failure of repeated previous attempts to delay the trial, Clifford Robert, a Trump attorney was in an appeals court hours after the jury was seated, arguing that Merchan rushed through jury selection and that Trump cannot get a fair trial in Manhattan.
“To think an impartial jury could be found in that period of time, I would respectfully submit, is untenable,” attorney Clifford Robert said.
Justice Marsha Michael denied the request just minutes after a brief hearing.
Back in the trial court, Merchan expressed frustration as Trump’s lawyers pressed to revisit a litany of pretrial rulings.
“At some point, you need to accept the court’s rulings. There’s nothing else to clarify. There’s nothing else to reargue. We’re going to have opening statements on Monday morning. This trial is starting.”
Juan Merchan
After the jury selection, Trump returned to the cameras to deliver a brief closing message.
“This is really a concerted witch hunt, very simple,” he told reporters.
Trump complained of his treatment in New York, calling out Arthur Engoron and Lewis Kaplan, the Judges who heard his earlier New York civil fraud trial and defamation case.
“What’s happening here with the judicial system is an outrage,” he said, before casting the case, yet again, as an effort to damage his candidacy.
“This is the only way they think they can win but it’s not going to work,” he said.
Trump Calls For Gag Order Removal
Donald Trump, speaking to reporters before the court proceedings began, called on Judge Juan Merchan to remove the gag order against him because it’s “very, very unfair.”
Trump said, “The gag order has to come off. People are allowed to speak about me and I have a gag order, just to show you how much more unfair it is.”
“They’ve taken away my constitutional rights to speak and that includes speaking to you. I have a lot to say to you. And I’m not allowed to say it and I’m the only one.”
Donald Trump
Prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney’s office are looking to fine Trump over violating his gag order after disparaging witnesses in the case on social media. A hearing is set for next week.
Donald Trump once again railed against the hush money case as he spoke to reporters.
“This is a rigged trial … coming from the White House,” the former U.S President said.
He added that New York is “a very corrupt place to do business. I think a lot of people are not going to be moving in New York.”
Trump also said that he should be campaigning in Pennsylvania, Georgia and other states instead of being in the courtroom.
“I’m sitting in a courthouse all day long. This is going on for the week and it will go up for another four or five weeks. It’s very unfair. People know it’s very unfair,” he stressed.
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