Seven jurors have been selected for former President Donald Trump’s hush money criminal trial.
The lawyers approved seven people, including two lawyers, an IT worker, a nurse, an English teacher, a software engineer and a sales professional.
Like all other prospective jurors interviewed in the New York case, they were grilled about their political beliefs and thoughts about the former president to ensure impartiality.
Trump threatens jail time if he misses hush money trial in Biden campaign in Pennsylvania
Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of the second day of jury selection in Manhattan Criminal Court in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altafer)
Jurors are selected through a system of elimination that repeats until all jurors are selected. Eighteen potential jurors will be brought to the jury box, after which attorneys will move to exclude certain potential jurors “for cause.”
Next, eliminate some forced challenges that don’t require a reason.
Trump has been indicted on 34 counts of first-degree falsification of business records related to allegations that he paid hush money to Stormy Daniels during his successful 2016 presidential campaign.
Presiding judge in Trump hush money case refuses to speak out
A courtroom sketch showing former President Donald Trump before Judge Juan Marchan in Manhattan Criminal Court. (Kristin Cornell)
Ninety-six prospective jurors were sworn in Monday afternoon, but more than 50 of them were excused almost immediately, admitting they could not serve as impartial jurors.
“This is a fraud. This is a political witch hunt,” President Trump said after court adjourned on Monday.
Judge Juan Melchán has repeatedly criticized President Trump for being partisan and serving the country. Democratic Party interests Before summoning prospective jurors to the courtroom, he addressed President Trump directly. The judge told President Trump that if he did not appear in court, he would issue a warrant for his arrest.
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Former President Donald Trump waves as he returns to Trump Tower in New York City. (Probe Media on Fox New Digital)
Marchan also told Trump that he had the right to attend the trial, but that he would be removed from office if he obstructed it. President Trump listened to the instructions and nodded.
A judge rejected President Trump’s request to be excused from next Thursday’s trial after the president indicated he wanted to attend Supreme Court arguments on presidential immunity.
The judge has not yet ruled on whether to postpone the trial so Trump can attend his son Barron’s high school graduation.
Fox News Digital’s Lawrence Richard and Bradford Betts contributed to this report.
