Jury selection for Trump trial concludes with the appointment of alternates

• Trump trial jury selection is complete.
• Two jurors were dismissed.
• There were 22 candidates to be alternates.

Former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial — where he’s accused of falsifying documents to buy the silence of an adult actress and thus protect his 2016 White House bid — concluded the jury selection process on Friday with the appointment of six alternates.

These individuals were chosen from a pool of twenty-two candidates, adding to the 12 primary jurors, consisting of seven men and five women, selected the previous day.

Among the members chosen today is a woman of Spanish origin who successfully passed screenings conducted by Judge Juan Merchán, the prosecution and the defense.

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Trump trial jury selection is complete

There were other candidates who were dismissed after claiming to suffer from anxiety or concerns about the prospect of serving on the jury.

Additionally, there was a hearing in which prosecutors confirmed that if Trump takes the stand in his criminal trial, they will also question him about his other legal battles, including two high-profile civil judgments in New York.

Thursday’s session, the fourth since the trial began, was marked by an event outside the courtroom. A man set himself on fire and later died of his injuries.

Everything is ready for opening arguments

The jury selection on Friday clears the way for the opening arguments phase, which will begin on Monday. Subsequently, the Manhattan DA will call its first witness.

Furthermore, as revealed on Thursday, Monday’s session will conclude at 2:00 p.m. due to the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Passover, and Tuesday will maintain the same schedule.

According to the prosecution, Trump, who is running for president in November, participated in a scheme with his then-lawyer Michael Cohen and others to influence the 2016 elections by suppressing negative information, including a $130,000 payment to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels and prevent her from disclosing a relationship with Trump at a time when his wife Melania was pregnant.

*Information provided by Agencia EFE.