Starting today, Donald Trump has to answer in court for hush money payments to a porn star. The process starts with 42 questions that could last for weeks.
New York City – The hush money trial against former US President Donald Trump begins today. There was already a lot of excitement surrounding the process beforehand: several attempts to postpone it because of Trump's likely candidacy in the 2024 US election failed. Trump's lawyers are relying on a strategy of denial, delay and denigration, as our partner Washington Post reports. But will they be able to convince the jury that will decide guilt or innocence?
The jury will be assembled today in New York City. It is the first step in the criminal case against Donald Trump in connection with hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and the falsification of business documents to cover up the payment.
The jury selection process is extensive and can take weeks. In the end there should be twelve referees from the Manhattan district, as well as some on the substitute bench in case there are absences. They will judge whether Donald Trump is guilty or acquitted. He himself pleads innocent. The defense and prosecution obviously want to find jury members who believe their respective argumentation strategies.
Trial against Donald Trump begins Monday with jury selection
To assemble that jury, the Trump trial begins Monday with 42 questions. Not to Trump himself, but to potential jury members. First, hundreds of potential jurors gather in a courtroom. Judge Juan Merchan presents the case to them. Anyone who feels unable to handle the case fairly and impartially after the introduction must leave.
Whoever remains will be questioned further. The extensive questionnaire covers numerous areas of the potential jurors' lives. It starts with superficial questions about place of residence, employer and marital status. In the further course, topics such as media usage behavior, leisure activities, support for Donald Trump in the election campaign and membership of groups such as QAnon, Proud Boys or Antifa are asked. The prosecution and defense have the opportunity to ask the potential jury members questions about their answers.
A selection of questions for the potential jurors in the trial against Donald Trump:
Are you a native of New York? If not, where did you live before?
Have you, a relative or close friend ever been the victim of a crime? If so, please tell us briefly what happened.
Have you, a relative or close friend ever been employed in the accounting or financial sector?
Do you have a strong opinion or belief about whether a former president can be criminally prosecuted in state court?
Do you have a strong opinion or strong belief about former President Donald Trump, or the fact that he is a current presidential candidate, that affects your ability to be a fair and impartial jury member?
Jury selection in the trial against Donald Trump may take a long time
The difficulty in putting together the jury in the case of Donald Trump as the accused will be that everyone knows him and many people have strong opinions about him. Jurors must credibly show that they can put their personal views on Trump aside and judge the case neutrally. Once the jury has been found and sworn in, the prosecution and defense can begin their opening statements and those involved can enter the process thematically. Trump confirmed that he wanted to testify himself. Stormy Daniels is also expected to testify. This is the first criminal trial against a former US president in US history. (ial)