NEW YORK CITY– Donald Trump is pressing the limits set for criminal offenders in the very first days of his Manhattan hush cash trial, at one point making a rebuke from Judge Juan Merchan for supposedly attempting to affect a potential juror.
Part of this happens through Trump’s lawyers, who are strongly investigating, questioning and challenging jurors. It’s partially by means of Trump himself who, Merchan stated, “murmured” in the instructions of a juror as lawyers questioned her. And it comes out more discreetly in other methods: through Trump’s gestures, his lawyers’ determination to challenge every juror before them till advised not to do so, and the GOP governmental prospect’s efforts to turn the trial into a circus.
It’s all targeted at making a broad point. Trump is in some way above the procedures, the case is invalid, and this effort at responsibility isn’t about concept, however power: It’s simply another bad faith effort to oppose him.
The court handled to choose 6 jurors on Tuesday out of a preliminary panel of 96, and one out of a fresh panel. Judge Merchan stated in court that he is intending to conclude jury choice today, clearing the method for opening arguments to start on Monday.
For me, the day started intense and early again on a cold Manhattan early morning. Entryway to the court house is first-come first-serve, needing a three-hour wait; even with that, I was the second-to-last one to make it in.
The day started with lots more potential jurors going through a 42 point survey. Numerous more informed the judge that they could not stay reasonable and neutral, albeit for various factors. One New York City financing employee informed the judge that “maturing in the state of Texas, finishing from Texas A&M, I feel that I have some unconscious predisposition.”
It struck me that the ord