Jury selection in the highly anticipated criminal trial of former President Donald Trump in New York enters its second day on Tuesday, as potential jurors continue to be screened while the defendant observes.
After pretrial debates on evidence and trial procedures, the initial group of jurors were sworn in on Monday. However, about two-thirds of the 96 New Yorkers were swiftly dismissed, citing an inability to remain impartial. Others were excused for various reasons, including their responses to a set of jury questions.
The meticulous process of selecting suitable jurors is expected to extend for at least a week. Additional potential jurors will undergo questioning as proceedings commence at 9:30 a.m. on the second day.
Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, is charged with 34 state felony counts of falsification of business records related to a "hush money" payment his attorney made to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, claiming the prosecution is part of a plot by Democrats aimed at preventing him from retaking the White House. The case is the first of four criminal prosecutions against Trump to make it to trial.
During the initial day of the trial, Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over the case, issued several rulings. He supported the prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office on various issues, while also ruling in favor of Trump's legal team on other matters.
Throughout the pretrial arguments on Monday morning, there were instances where Trump seemed to doze off at the defense table, with his chin dropping to his chest briefly. At one point, he was awakened by his lawyer.
The trial is anticipated to span between six and eight weeks, taking place every weekday except Wednesdays, with some shortened days due to the Passover holiday. This schedule significantly restricts Trump's ability to campaign, which he has used to support his allegations of political bias.
Merchan emphasized that Trump must be present for each day of the trial, warning of potential arrest if he fails to appear. A request by the defense team for Trump to attend Supreme Court arguments regarding his claim of presidential immunity in one of his federal cases next week was denied.
"Your client must appear in the New York County Supreme Court as a criminal defendant. While he is not obligated to be present in the Supreme Court itself, he is required to be here. I expect to see him next week," Merchan informed one of Trump's legal representatives.
