New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, who has previously presided over cases involving associates of Donald Trump, will play a central role in the hush money trial against the former president. Jury selection began Monday in this significant criminal prosecution, where Trump faces charges of illegally falsifying business records related to hush money payments made before the 2016 election.
Merchan’s handling of this trial will likely impact his extensive career in the state-level trial court.
The trial marks a historic moment as Trump becomes the first former US president to face criminal charges in court. This trial is particularly significant among the other four criminal cases he currently confronts as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee.
This trial stands as the only case likely to be decided by a jury before the election, and a conviction could result in jail time for Trump.
Key takeaways from the first day of President Trump’s hush money trial include:
- Difficulty in jury selection: Over half of the prospective jurors were dismissed due to concerns about impartiality. None had ties to Trump or Michael Cohen.
- Defense strategy to slow proceedings: The defense aims to preserve issues for appeal, leading to expected objections and sidebars. This aligns with Trump’s broader legal tactic of delaying proceedings, particularly with the 2024 election looming.
- Alleged violation of gag order: Prosecutors seek sanctions against Trump for discussing case details in violation of a gag order. A hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday.
- Testimony allowance and evidentiary rulings: Actress Karen McDougal can testify about her alleged affair with Trump, and prosecutors can use National Enquirer stories criticizing Trump’s opponents as evidence. However, the “Access Hollywood” tape won’t be played in court, deemed prejudicial, and other post-tape sexual assault allegations against Trump won’t be introduced.
Independent media spent time Monday morning talking about the conflict of interest with Merchan, as reported by Laura Loomer.
Loomer posted what she said was evidence of a conflict of interest that Merchan is ignoring:
EXCLUSIVE:
Ahead of President Trump’s "Hush money” trial which begins today in NYC, please review this chart created by @CcpSkipTracer and I that outlines the incestuous relationships of the New York State Supreme Court of New York County.
This puts it into perspective for all… https://t.co/soPrzWFRs8 pic.twitter.com/r9NlK1494E
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) April 15, 2024
Over 50 potential jurors were dismissed due to concerns about fairness and impartiality.
Tuesday, further vetting will occur with questions that may touch on political views. Ultimately, a panel of 12 New Yorkers and six alternates will be selected to proceed with the trial.
WarRoom guests covered numerous details on Monday with live on the scene reporting:
