The trial of Trump's hush money case: Introducing the jurors who will decide on Bragg's charges against the 2024 presidential candidate.
Before opening arguments, 11 additional jurors must be chosen.
So far, seven jurors have been chosen and administered the oath to serve on the jury for the first criminal trial of former President Trump.
Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney, has accused Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. These charges relate to the alleged hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election.
The former president, who has pleaded not guilty to all counts, has blasted the trial as pure politics and a "political persecution." He maintains his innocence and is expected to testify during his trial.
Last week, when asked about his possible testimony, Trump stated, "I always tell the truth."
Trump is the first president in United States history to stand criminal trial.
Seven jurors were chosen and sworn in by the end of jury selection on Tuesday. The pool comprises four men and three women, all residents of New York City. Their occupations encompass law, finance, nursing, technology, and other fields.
Over the next few days, eleven additional jurors will be chosen and sworn in. Jury selection will resume on Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
Here is a look at each of the seven jurors so far.
Juror #1 and the foreperson
A man from Ireland residing in West Harlem serves as Juror #1. He is childless and enjoys outdoor activities. His sources of news include the New York Times, Daily Mail, Planet Chronicle, and MSNBC.
When questioned by Trump defense attorney Todd Blanche about being aware of Trump's charges in other cases and jurisdictions and how it affects him, the man responded, "I have no opinion."
Juror #2
Juror #2 is a woman who resides on the Upper East Side with her fiancé. She does not have any children. She is a native New Yorker and works as an oncology nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She holds a master's degree in nursing. Her fiancé works in finance in New York City. The woman stated that she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and taking her dog to the park.
She disclosed that she obtains her news from The New York Times, Google, and Facebook when prompted.
In a courtroom, the woman stated that she did not have a specific opinion of Trump and that he should be treated like any other individual.
"No one is above the law," she said.
The woman responded, "I had no idea I was entering this situation. I'm here for my civic obligation."
Juror #3
An attorney for five years, Juror #3 is a young to middle-aged Asian man living in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. He grew up in Oregon and enjoys hiking, running, and reading news from The New York Times and Google.
Juror #4
An IT consultant for about 10 years, Juror #4 is a middle-aged man residing on Manhattan's Lower East Side, who was born in Puerto Rico and is self-employed.
The man stated that he has been married for a long time and has one child and two grandchildren. He mentioned that his wife is a writer, and his child works in sales and research.
"When asked about his hobbies, he replied, "I have no spare time." He added, "I guess my hobby is my family.""
The man stated that he works with community non-profits and has previously served on a jury in a civil case, but he cannot recall the outcome.
He stated that he obtains his news from the New York Daily News, the New York Times, and Google, and he also tunes in to podcasts.
The juror described Trump as both "fascinating and mysterious."
""He walks into a room and sets people off one way or another," the juror stated. "I find that fascinating. Indeed, this man possesses the ability to do it all - truly remarkable," the juror added."
Juror #5
A Harlem native and an English Language Arts teacher for eight years, Juror #5 is a young Black woman.
She has a masters' degree in education and previously worked as a caseworker at a juvenile detention center before joining Kip New York City Charter Schools.
She stated that she is creative at heart and enjoys photography.
The woman stated that she is unmarried and does not have any kids. Her mom worked as an administrative aide in the NYPD, and her godfather was an NYPD homicide detective.
The woman said she gets her news from Google and TikTok.
Would she hold Trump's decision not to testify against him?
"I won’t hold that against him," she said.
She stated that she possesses friends who harbor intense views regarding the ex-president, yet she declared herself as a non-political individual who endeavors to steer clear of political discussions.
She did say, however, that she appreciates Trump’s candor.
She said, "I prefer President Trump's straightforward communication style over an unpredictable leader whose thoughts are unknown."
Juror #5 raised her hand to indicate that she was learning of additional charges against Trump for the first time, while most jurors were aware of the other cases he was charged in besides Bragg's.
Juror #6
A young woman residing in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, Juror #6 identified as a New Yorker.
A software engineer at Walt Disney Company, the woman enjoys dancing.
Juror #7
An attorney and civil litigator, Juror #7 is a White man residing on the Upper East Side, originally hailing from North Carolina.
The man stated that he is married and has two children, and his wife works in risk management for a bank. He enjoys spending time outdoors and with his family.
The man stated that he obtains his news from The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, and Washington Post.
The man stated that he has political views regarding the Trump presidency and that there are likely Trump administration policies with which he disagrees, when questioned about how his career as a lawyer would affect his ability to serve fairly and impartially, or whether his opinions would hinder him.
He stated that he did not know the man and had no personal opinions about him.
He stated that he does not have any opinions about Trump's character in terms of his career as a lawyer.
"I am aware of other lawsuits, but I am uncertain about the characters of those involved."
Planet Chronicle' Grace Taggart contributed to this report.
politics
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