Donald Trump hush money trial: 12 jurors have been picked
Despite several setbacks, a jury of 12 has finally been chosen to decide the case against Donald Trump who is accused of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal. See who they are.
The jury has been set for the historic criminal trial of former US president Donald Trump, after two Manhattan residents who had been chosen to help decide his fate dropped out in dramatic circumstances.
Seven jurors were selected on the first two days of the trial in the Manhattan Criminal Court, where Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 charges of falsifying business records to cover up a $US130,000 (A$202,000) hush money payment to a porn star who claimed they had an affair.
But two of the seven were excused on Thursday morning (local time), heightening the challenge of picking a group of 12 impartial Manhattan residents to decide the fate of the presumptive Republican candidate for this year’s presidential election.
Scores of potential jurors had already been immediately dismissed because they said they could not be fair or impartial in judging the case – the first criminal trial of a US president in history.
One of the jurors dismissed on Thursday was a self-employed IT professional who had described Mr Trump in court as “fascinating and mysterious”.
But prosecutor Joshua Steinglass questioned whether the man had misled the court when he was asked whether he had ever been accused or convicted of a crime.
Mr Steinglass, from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, said a man with the same name had been arrested in the 1990s for tearing down political advertisements.
A conversation with the juror in court was not audible to reporters, and the reason for his dismissal was not confirmed. Asked outside the courthouse if he believed he should have been dismissed, the man reportedly said: “Nope.”
The other juror excused was a young woman who said that her friends and colleagues had guessed that she was serving on the jury after she answered a series of questions about herself, revealing details including that she worked as an oncology nurse.
“Aspects of my identity have already been out there in the public. Yesterday alone I had friends, colleagues and family push things to my phone questioning my identity as a juror,” she said.
Judge Juan Merchan said she “probably would’ve been a very good juror” but that she was “afraid” of the media attention surrounding the case.
He ordered the media not to report the names of jurors’ employers that were disclosed in court.
“There’s a reason this is an anonymous jury,” he said.
After lawyers for Mr Trump and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office used up their challenges against other potential jurors they feared would not be open to their arguments, the process accelerated on Thursday afternoon and the full group of 12 was finalised.
About six alternative jurors will also be chosen for the trial that is expected to run for six weeks.
THE 12 JURORS SELECTED FOR THE ‘HUSH MONEY’ NEW YORK TRUMP TRIAL
JUROR 1
The foreperson of the jury is a salesman who lives in West Harlem and is originally from Ireland.
He is married, has no children and says his hobbies include “anything outdoorsy”.
The man reads The New York Times and the Daily Mail and occasionally watches Fox News and MSNBC.
When asked if he was aware of the other criminal cases against Mr Trump, he said: “I’ve heard of some of them.”
JUROR 2
The investment banker is married and lives with his wife in Hells Kitchen.
He has no children and enjoys spending his spare time hiking and going to concerts.
He keeps an eye on the news through social media, saying he “reads basically everything” including Mr Trump’s posts on his Truth Social platform.
“While I do not have any firmly held opinions or strong beliefs, I do follow the news,” he told the court.
JUROR 3
The man of Asian descent is a corporate lawyer originally from Oregon who lives in Chelsea.
He is unmarried, hikes and runs in his spare time, and checks The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and Google for the news headlines, although he said he did not “really follow the news that closely – a little embarrassing to say”.
“I am actually not super familiar with the other charges,” he said.
He suggested to the court that he could infer Mr Trump’s intent without “reading his mind”.
JUROR 4
The security engineer is from California and has lived in the West Village for 15 years.
His wife is a teacher and together they have three children. He spends most of his spare time with them, as well as woodworking and metalworking.
He does not use social media and gets his news from a wide variety of sources.
Asked if he would have any concerns about returning a guilty verdict, he said: “No.”
JUROR 5
The young Black woman is an unmarried teacher who has lived her whole life in Harlem.
She said she did not “really care for the news”, naming Google and TikTok as her sources for news, and was the only person to raise her hand when Mr Trump’s lawyer asked potential jurors if they knew about the other criminal charges against him.
“President Trump speaks his mind … and I’d rather that than someone who’s in office who you don’t know what they’re thinking,” she said.
She said that as a “woman of colour”, some of her friends had strong views about Mr Trump.
JUROR 6
The young woman is a software engineer who grew up in New York City and lives in Chelsea with three roommates.
She spends her spare time enjoying plays, dancing, watching TV and eating at restaurants.
She named The New York Times and TikTok as her sources of news.
When asked about Mr Trump’s candidacy in this year’s US presidential election, and whether that would affect her ability to serve as a juror, she said: “I will be fair and impartial.”
JUROR 7
The civil lawyer is a father of two children who lives on New York’s Upper East Side.
He listens to podcasts and enjoys spending time outside with his kids, while keeping up with the news from The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post and The Washington Post.
“I certainly follow the news. I’m aware that there are other other lawsuits out there,” he said.
“But I’m not sure that I know anyone’s character.”
He said he had “political views” about Mr Trump’s presidency but that he did not have “opinions about him personally”.
JUROR 8
The retired wealth manager is originally from Lebanon but has lived on the Upper East Side for 44 years.
He is married with two adult children and his hobbies include using a flight machine, skiing, yoga and meditation. He also still consults for three former clients.
His news consumption includes reading The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and watching CNBC and the BBC.
He told the court he did have a strong opinion about Mr Trump, but when asked if it would prevent him being impartial, he said: “No.”
JUROR 9
The speech therapist is from New Jersey and has lived on the Upper East Side for three years.
She is not married and lives alone. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with her friends and watching reality TV.
She occasionally checks The New York Times and CNN for the news but not “very strictly”.
Both her parents are lawyers, and she said: “I do have opinions but I do firmly believe I can be fair and impartial.”
JUROR 10
The unmarried man was born and raised in Ohio and lives in Murray Hill.
He works for an e-commerce company and his hobbies include listening to podcasts on behavioural psychology, as well as spending time outdoors and with animals.
He told the court that he did not follow the news closely, but that “if anything it’s The New York Times”.
JUROR 11
The unmarried woman is originally from California and works as a product development manager at an apparel company.
She does not follow the news other than late-night TV shows.
She told the court that she did not like Mr Trump’s “persona”, describing him as “very selfish and self-serving”.
“It’s not my cup of tea,” she said.
Mr Trump’s legal team unsuccessfully challenged her place on the jury.
JUROR 12
The physical therapist lives on the Upper East Side with her husband, a coach for a professional sports team.
She has previously lived in Minnesota, South Carolina and North Carolina.
In her spare time, she enjoys running and playing tennis, and listens to podcasts related to sport and her faith.
She told the court she kept up with the news through the New York Times, CNN and USA Today.
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Originally published as Donald Trump hush money trial: 12 jurors have been picked
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