The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s “hush money” trial in New York aims to have opening statements delivered on Monday, requiring up to five more alternate jurors to be seated on Friday. Jury selection has seen numerous potential jurors excused for bias, with two seated jurors later excused as well. The jurors and alternates selected so far were chosen from two groups of 96 Manhattanites summoned for jury service, with about two dozen potential jurors remaining under consideration. If the additional alternates cannot be found from the remaining pool, a third group of 96 jurors may be brought in.
Judge Juan Merchan has indicated that if the remaining alternates are selected early enough on Friday, a pretrial hearing will be held to determine the scope of topics prosecutors can address if Trump chooses to testify. Prosecutors want to question Trump about various legal defeats to undermine his credibility, including civil fraud judgments and jury verdicts finding him liable for defamation and sexual abuse. Trump’s attorneys argue that these topics should be off-limits in the trial, which focuses on reimbursements to Michael Cohen for payments to Stormy Daniels. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records, denying all allegations in the case.
The trial revolves around Trump’s alleged covering up of reimbursements to Cohen for the hush money payment to Daniels, intended to silence her about a supposed affair just days before the 2016 presidential election. Trump has consistently denied the affair as well. The prosecution argues that Trump tried to distance himself from the payment by falsifying business records, leading to the criminal charges against him. The case has garnered significant attention due to Trump’s high-profile status as a former president and the nature of the allegations against him.
With the majority of the jury now seated, the trial is set to move forward with opening statements expected on Monday. The court has been working diligently to ensure a fair and impartial jury, excusing those deemed biased from serving on the case. The potential inclusion of Trump as a witness in his defense adds another layer of complexity to the trial, with prosecutors seeking to challenge his credibility using previous legal setbacks. The defense, on the other hand, aims to keep these topics out of the trial to focus solely on the charges at hand.
The trial’s outcome will have significant implications for Trump, as a guilty verdict could result in serious legal consequences for the former president. The intense media coverage and public interest in the case underscore its importance and potential impact. As the trial progresses, all eyes will be on the courtroom to see how the proceedings unfold and what the final verdict will be. The thorough jury selection process and the potential testimony of Trump himself add further intrigue to the trial, making it a closely watched and highly anticipated legal event.
