Seven jurors were placed Tuesday on the panel that will decide former President Donald rump’s guilt or innocence in the New York hush money case, a process that has highlighted how difficult – and often contentious – it will be to pick a full jury.


The rump’s lawyers dug through prospective jurors’ social media posts to try to root out those with an anti-Trump bias from getting on the jury, even questioning several of them about their posts as the defense team asked to remove them from the jury for cause.


That process prompted Judge Juan Merchan to sternly admonish the rump for his conduct toward the first juror questioned about her social media. It was a swift warning that he would not tolerate any attempts to intimidate jurors – an issue that did not come up the rest of the day but will surely linger over the criminal trial, the first of a former US president.


The courtroom is dark on Wednesday – as is expected for the duration of the expected six-week trial – but jury selection will resume on Thursday with a new panel of 96 prospective jurors who could end up on the panel.

Last edited by Spunky (4/16/2024 8:03 pm)