A majority of the first group of 96 potential jurors in Donald Trump’s trial declared themselves incapable of judging him fairly and were immediately excused.
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Contrary to practice, for logistical reasons, Judge Juan Merchan announced on April 8 that potential jurors who declared themselves incapable of attending the entire duration of the trial or of being impartial would be exempted without having to provide justification.
Around fifty jurors raised their hands to declare that they could not be fair and around ten others for other unspecified reasons.
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The remaining thirty must answer a series of generic questions relating to their neighborhood, their professional and family situation, their level of education, but also more targeted, such as “have you ever attended a Donald Trump campaign rally?” or, on the contrary, “at a gathering of an anti-Trump movement or organization?”
They will also have to specify how they obtain information, if they have an opinion on the way in which Donald Trump is treated in this matter or on the impact on their impartiality of his status as candidate in the presidential election in November.
The goal of this process is to select 12 jurors and six alternates for this trial scheduled to last until the end of May.
One of the potential jurors was challenged due to his son’s marriage in June.
“I think we should be done by then, but I can’t promise that,” Judge Merchan told the man, offering his congratulations.
Hundreds of Manhattan residents, drawn at random, received summons to appear in court on Monday.
