The trial for Donald Trump, aged 77, has officially commenced, marking the beginning of a high-profile legal battle at the NY County Supreme Court. Judge Juan Merchan, 61 years old, presided over the proceedings which began at 9:58 a.m. EDT on Monday.
Trump, the defendant in this case, displayed a range of emotions as he sat in courtroom 1530, as observed live by editors of US LIVE. He appeared focused, leaning forward with folded hands, and his facial expressions shifted between stoic, grumpy, and composed. Despite his defiant demeanor, he diligently reviewed documents and files on both the table and computer screen in front of him.
Prior to the start of the trial, Trump briefly addressed the gathered media, seizing the opportunity to criticize the criminal charges against him as he claimed that legal scholars deemed the case baseless.
The ultimate decision on Trump’s guilt or innocence lies in the hands of twelve New Yorkers, a jury selection process that promises to be gripping and challenging, given the political landscape of Manhattan, where a vast majority of voters supported Joe Biden in the last election.
The core of the criminal case revolves around hush money paid to Stormy Daniels, a former adult film actress, to conceal an alleged affair from 2006 during the 2016 presidential campaign.
The initial phase of jury selection revealed the difficulty of finding impartial individuals, with over 50 potential jurors excused for expressing doubts about delivering an unbiased verdict. The candidates remaining faced a rigorous second round of questioning, designed to uncover any potential biases related to media consumption, affiliations, and views towards Trump.
The Trump trial has proven to be a lengthy and detailed procedure, evident from day one. Dozens of individuals were thoroughly questioned, while two others were dismissed from consideration. Despite the seriousness of the process, there were some moments of levity, such as one person citing ‘Al Jazeera’ as their favorite medium and another mentioning ‘clubbing’ as their favored leisure activity.
However, tensions rose on Tuesday as the battle for each ‘jury’ seat intensified. Trump’s attorney, Blanche, uncovered anti-Trump ‘social media’ posts from potential candidates. One individual celebrated a street party following Trump’s election defeat, while another proclaimed ‘Lock him up!’ The judge dismissed some candidates but allowed others to continue.
Trump’s reactions ranged from seething to grumbling, earning a stern rebuke from the judge for intimidation attempts. Judge Merchan made it clear that he will not tolerate any intimidation of jurors by Trump. He already has warned him that the defended would be arrested should he disrupt the trial.
The stakes are high as ordinary citizens hold Trump’s fate in their hands. Trump himself has criticized the process as ‘political justice’ to his supporters, suggesting bias in New York’s judicial system. The jurors find themselves in the midst of a national controversy.
Amid the extensive security measures, the courtroom remains nearly empty during jury selection, with reporters watching remotely. The potential jurors are assigned code names for anonymity.
Trump, closely following the questioning with a detailed catalog, understands the pivotal role of each juror in the unanimous decision-making process. One individual could ultimately sway the verdict in his favor.
