Trump Manhattan Trial: First Jurors Selected

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Apr 17, 2024

Image copyright: Pool/Pool/Getty Images News via Getty Imagesstory last updated Apr 18

The Facts

The first seven out of 12 jurors have been selected in former US Pres. Donald Trump's hush-money trial in Manhattan. Another five jurors are now needed as well as six alternates.
More than half of the jury pool was excused at once, leaving the jury with three women and four men from Manhattan. They include a charter school teacher, a software engineer, a salesman, a corporate lawyer, and an oncology nurse.

The Spin

Anti-Trump narrative

While Trump complains that he can't possibly get a fair trial in a city that voted overwhelmingly against him, the history of well-instructed jurors proves otherwise. Every juror chosen will have undergone a lengthy selection process full of questionnaires and one-on-one consultations with the judge and lawyers. The only unexpected trouble Trump could face is anything he brings upon himself by impulsively speaking in violation of court rules.

New York Times

Pro-Trump narrative

Not only has District Attorney Alvin Bragg turned a normal campaign finance violation into a bogus felony charge, but the judge, in this case, has allowed clearly compromised people onto the jury. For instance, one woman Judge Merchan allowed on the jury allegedly attended an anti-Trump event in 2020. Revealing the occupations of these jurors was also a bad decision by the court — if their identities are uncovered it could compromise their decisions in this blue city trial.