Seven jurors were selected on Tuesday to serve on the panel that will determine the fate of former President Donald Trump in the New York hush money case. The jury selection process has been contentious, with Trump’s lawyers scrutinizing prospective jurors’ social media posts to remove those with perceived bias against the former president. Judge Juan Merchan sternly reprimanded Trump for his conduct towards the first juror questioned about her social media, setting a tone of intolerance for attempts to intimidate jurors during the trial.
Out of the seven jurors chosen, four men and three women have been appointed, with one man from Ireland serving as the jury foreperson. Most jurors have a college degree or higher education, and two men on the panel are lawyers. While most jurors indicated awareness of Trump facing charges in other criminal cases, none expressed strong views about Trump or politics. The selection process has highlighted the importance of removing jurors for cause, as both sides are allowed to strike 10 jurors in total for any reason.
Trump’s courtroom behavior briefly landed him in trouble with the judge, as he was admonished for his conduct towards a juror discussing her social media posts. The judge has expanded his gag order in the case, barring Trump from speaking about witnesses, family, and staff, with the district attorney seeking sanctions for violating the order. The voir dire process provided insight into how the prosecution and defense will approach the jury pool, emphasizing the importance of jurors’ ability to assess witness credibility and separate personal views from the evidence presented in the trial.