US: 7 jurors selected in Trump's hush-money criminal trial
The landmark "hush-money" criminal trial of former United States President Donald Trump took a significant step forward on Tuesday with the commencement of jury selection. Seven out of the required 18 jurors have already been chosen, leaving 11 more to be selected before the trial can officially begin. The initial group comprises professionals from diverse fields including software engineering, education, healthcare, sales, IT, and law.
Why does this story matter?
The trial, taking place in a Manhattan courthouse, brings Trump's legal challenges into sharp focus as he campaigns against President Joe Biden. This trial is the first of four criminal charges against Trump to reach court proceedings. It could potentially conclude before voters decide on backing the anticipated GOP nominee for president. The 2024 United States presidential election is likely to be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Dismissal of potential jurors and Trump's charges
During the jury selection process, several potential jurors were dismissed due to their inability to remain impartial or because they had other commitments. Trump's lawyers questioned some individuals about their social media posts, leading to the dismissal of one juror over a 2017 post that read "Lock him up!" Trump is facing 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records during his 2016 campaign.
Details of charges and potential consequences for Trump
The charges against Trump revolve around $130,000 in payments that his company allegedly made to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen. These payments were purportedly made on behalf of Trump to prevent adult film actor Stormy Daniels from publicizing her claims of a sexual encounter with him a decade earlier. If found guilty of falsifying business records, Trump could potentially face up to four years in prison.
Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony counts
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. These charges are related to allegations of attempting to suppress potentially damaging stories about his personal life—which he claims are false—during the 2016 presidential campaign. Separately, the meticulous jury selection process—expected to extend over several days or even weeks—underscores the extraordinary difficulty in finding impartial individuals to assess Trump.
