NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to appear in court Friday to select alternate jurors in his hush money trial, seeking to keep evidence of his past wrongdoings away from jurors even if he chooses to testify. They may petition a judge. .
Twelve jurors and one alternate have already been selected this week after some prospective jurors were rejected. Judge Juan Melchan said he aims to have a total of six alternates. If available as soon as Friday, Marchan hopes to hold a so-called “Sandoval hearing” to discuss what misdeeds in Trump’s past prosecutors could cite if he chooses to testify. ing.
USA TODAY Network had an exclusive interview with Haason Cabreras on Thursday. He was selected to serve on the jury on Tuesday, but the trial began two days later after prosecutors raised questions about whether he had accurately described his background.
Get live updates from USA TODAY from inside and outside the Manhattan courthouse.
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–kinsey crowley
Another potential juror says he doesn’t think he can be impartial.
One woman was excused after learning of the questions posed to potential jurors and saying she didn’t think she could be impartial.
– Aisha Bagki
President Trump continues to look sleepy
Mr. Trump often closed his eyes for long periods of time, often tens of seconds at a time, as the third prospective juror, who will fill out a jury questionnaire this morning, spoke.
At one point, his eyes remained closed and his mouth opened for a few seconds. He had just opened his eyes when a potential juror mentioned that he might have read his book, “Trump: The Art of the Deal,” when he was younger.
– Aisha Bagki
President Trump looks sleepy
Trump’s eyes remained mostly closed for more than two minutes as the second potential juror to be questioned this morning spoke.
His head fell down at least three times and then picked up again. After his third time, he opened his eyes and said something to his lawyer, Emile Beauvais. He’s looking around now.
– Aisha Bagki
The first alternate juror is excused.
The first juror scheduled to be questioned this morning was immediately released. She was apprehensive from the beginning about participating in her trial. She fears that even if she doesn’t say it, over time people around her will know that she is a juror and that this will prevent her from being fair and impartial. She was worried, she said.
Judge Machan pardoned her.
– Aisha Bagki
Potential jurors arrive and receive a questionnaire
The alternate juror scheduled to be questioned early in the morning arrived and was given a copy of the 42-question jury questionnaire.
– Aisha BagchiI
Judge Juan Mercian arrives
Judge Juan Melchan has just arrived. A lawyer from each side introduced those present, including Trump. The justices generally greeted Trump with “Good morning,” and continued the practice of greeting Trump directly with “Good morning, Mr. Trump.”
– Aisha Bagki
Trump enters court
Former President Donald Trump just entered the courtroom and took a seat at the defense table between defense attorneys Todd Blanche and Emile Bove. Prosecutors are also seated at the courtroom table.
– Aisha Bagki
What crime is Mr. Trump being tried for?
President Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges that he falsified business records to conceal hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels to illegally interfere in the 2016 presidential election.
Prosecutors said the payments were made by Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen and violated federal campaign finance laws. They allege that Mr. Trump authorized payments to support his presidential campaign and falsified records to hide checks he sent to repay Mr. Cohen for hush money.
Mr. Trump has maintained his innocence.
– Aisha Bagki
Who is Donald Trump’s lawyer?
Trump’s legal team is led by Todd Blanche and Susan Necheres.
Mr. Blanche served as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, which includes Manhattan, for nine years. A prominent white-collar defense attorney, he has represented Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn and Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
Mr. Necheres is ranked as one of New York’s top criminal defense attorneys by legal evaluation and headhunting firm Chambers & Partners. She was also a former lawyer for Venero Mangano, the former underboss of the Genovese crime family known as Benny Eggs.
–Josh Meyer
Who is Juan Melchan?
Juan Marchan is the New York state judge presiding over Donald Trump’s hush money trial, the first criminal trial of a former US president in history.
He was appointed to Family Court in 2006 by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and a few years later to Felony Court.
President Trump has repeatedly attacked Marchan, accusing him of bias because his daughter works for a marketing firm that serves Democratic politicians as clients, but the Ethics Commission questions Marchan’s objectivity. I haven’t found any evidence.
Marchand previously ruled against Trump when he presided over a 2022 tax fraud trial against two units of the Trump Organization.
So far in the trial, Marchan has issued a gag order against Trump’s comments about witnesses, court officials and prosecutors, as well as his and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s families. It denied Trump’s request to expand the ban and delay the trial.
Kinsey Crowley & Bert Janssen
Will the Trump trial be televised or livestreamed?
no.
New York court rules stipulate that audiovisual coverage of a trial is not allowed unless a media representative files a request and the judge grants permission, which was not the case in this case.
- Kinsey Crowley & Aisha Bagchi
What are Sandoval hearings?
The judge said a “Sandoval hearing” could be held today. This is a hearing in which a judge will consider what evidence prosecutors might present about Mr. Trump’s past “misdeeds” if he chooses to testify.
President Trump said last week that he planned to testify, and that he would do so if the defense had the opportunity to testify in his civil fraud trial, but withdrew the day before he was scheduled to take the stand.
Prosecutors want to question Trump about several legal decisions, including a civil jury’s finding that he sexually abused New York author E. Jean Carroll, according to a March court filing. .
– Aisha Bagki
