Jury of 12 Is Seated in Trump Criminal Trial

Donald Trump in a courtroom hallway. Navy suit, blue tie. Trump faces his greatest legal challenge so far in Manhattan, where he made his name.Credit...Pool photo by Jabin Botsford

HOME I I HI TECH NEWS I SPORTS I CONTACT

The jury selection for the Trump hush money trial is complete and the case is moving forward

By Li Huang
tellususa.com

NEW YORK - On Friday, the final jurors for the criminal trial of Donald J. Trump were selected. The group of 12 seated jurors and six alternates, including five Manhattan residents, will hear accusations from the Manhattan district attorney’s office that Mr. Trump tried to cover up a sex scandal that could have threatened his 2016 run for president.

The day started with an emotional intensity as several prospective jurors asked to be excused and some became upset. One prospective juror even said she was too nervous to continue with the process.

However, the day took an unexpected turn when a man set himself on fire in a park across the street from the courthouse. Although the courtroom proceedings continued, reporters ran from the room as the stir was noticeable. The man was carrying leaflets espousing antigovernment conspiracy theories, but his motivations were not immediately clear.

Lawyers are preparing to offer opening statements on Monday in this landmark proceeding.

The jury members were seated after the pool of hundred was thinned by challenges from prosecutors and defense lawyers alike.Credit...Jefferson Siegel for The New York Times

Meet the 12 jurors who will decide Donald J. Trump’s fate

Twelve Manhattanites have been chosen to serve on the jury for the first criminal trial of a U.S. president.

The judge ordered that the jurors’ identities be kept confidential during the trial and that reporters withhold some information that could identify them.

According to their statements in court during three days of jury selection, here is what we know about the jurors:

Juror 1, who will be the foreman, works in sales and lives in West Harlem. He said that he enjoys outdoor activities. He said he gets his news from The New York Times and watches Fox News and MSNBC. He said he had heard about some of former President Donald J. Trump’s other criminal cases, but he did not have an opinion about him.

Juror 2 works in finance and lives in Hell’s Kitchen. He said he likes hiking, music, concerts and enjoying New York City. He said he follows Mr. Trump’s former fixer, Michael D. Cohen, who is expected to be a key witness, on social media. But he also said he follows figures like former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway. He said he believed Mr. Trump had done some good for the country, adding “it goes both ways.”

Juror 3 works in the legal field and lives in Chelsea. He said he does not follow the news closely but, when he does, he reads The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and finds articles using Google. He added that he was not very familiar with Mr. Trump’s other criminal cases.

Juror 4 is an engineer from the Upper West Side. Asked how he was during jury selection, he responded, “I am freezing.” When a lawyer asked if he had strong feelings about Mr. Trump, he responded “No, not really.”

Juror 5 works in education and is from Harlem. She said she tries to avoid political conversations and doesn’t care for news. She said that she appreciates Mr. Trump’s candor. “President Trump speaks his mind,” she said. “I would rather that in a person than someone who’s in office and you don’t know what they’re doing behind the scenes.”

Juror 6 works in technology and lives in Chelsea. She said she gets her news from The New York Times, Google, Facebook and TikTok. She said she probably has different beliefs than Mr. Trump, but that “this is a free country.”

Juror 7 works in the legal field and lives on the Upper East Side. He said that he is aware of Mr. Trump’s other cases but does not have an opinion about Mr. Trump’s character. He said he has “political views as to the Trump presidency,” agreeing with some Trump administration policies and disagreeing with others.

Juror 8 is from the Upper East Side and worked in finance. He said he reads The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and watches CNBC and the BBC. He enjoys fly fishing, skiing and yoga. During jury selection, he said he had no opinions or beliefs that would prevent him from being impartial.

Juror 9 works in an educational setting and is from the Upper East Side. She said of Mr. Trump that “he was our president. Everyone knows who he is,” adding that when he was in office “everyone was kind of talking about politics.”

Juror 10 is a businessman who lives in Murray Hill. He said he does not follow the news, adding, “if anything it’s The New York Times.” But he said he likes listening to podcasts on behavioral psychology, adding, “it’s my little hobby.” He said he does not have a strong opinion on Mr. Trump.

Juror 11 is a product manager and lives in Upper Manhattan. She said she does not have strong opinions about Mr. Trump but added, “I don’t like his persona, how he presents himself in public.” She then added, “I don’t like some of my co-workers, but I don’t try to sabotage their work,” drawing laughter from the jury box.

Juror 12 works in health care and lives on the Upper East Side. She said she likes listening to live music and hiking, and also listens to religious podcasts.