Ex-US leader Donald Trump joined the hearing for the fourth consecutive day of his silence-money trial this past Friday. The courtroom has already assembled 12 jurors along with one alternate, with an anticipated five more alternates expected to be selected before the jury selection concludes, probably before the week’s end.
Mr Trump looked visibly affected by recent developments, his characteristic brass-toned hair appeared unusually dishevelled. Away from the courthouse, however, Trump stood true to his usual approach when under scrutiny – to protest and persist. He emphatically asserted that the trial proceeding was prejudiced and disparaged Alvin Bragg, the district attorney of Manhattan, claiming that he lacked the intelligence to present himself independently, contrasting him with Letitia James.
Mr Trump sincerely voiced his preference to be on the election trail in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina rather than attending court and requested that Juan Merchan, the presiding judge, lift the reporting restrictions inhibiting him from commenting on those involved in the case including witnesses, jurors, court staff and relatives of the associates.
The polarisation and high visibility attached to the defendant have made the selection of jurors a complex affair. Potential jurors have been extensively questioned about political beliefs, social media activities, and numerous other aspects of their personal lives.
A juror, concerned about her identity being exposed particularly after being mentioned in the media, was relieved of her duty on Thursday. Moreover, the judge Merchan ruled that certain identifying factors, such as a juror’s workplace, should be kept confidential.
Despite the drama, Mr. Trump remained composed in court throughout the proceedings. However, his Truth Social media account has not ceased activity, causing prosecutors to accuse the former leader of violating a gag order and proposed he face contempt of court charges. A hearing for the same is scheduled for April 23rd.
The trial in question is primarily focused on a payment of $130,000 made by Michael Cohen, Trump’s former advisor and lawyer, during the 2016 election to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The payment was allegedly to prevent public disclosure of an alleged affair with the then-candidate, Donald Trump.
The prosecution in the trial against former President Mr Trump alleges that he concealed the true nature of payments within his company’s internal records when reimbursing Cohen, who confessed to wrongdoing in 2018 and is slated to play a pivotal role in the case for the prosecution. Despite Mr Trump’s denial of an affair with Ms Daniels and his legal team’s claim that payments made to Cohen were lawful legal costs, he faces 34 felony charges of tampering with business documents.
His trial marks the first criminal proceedings against a previous US president in a US court. Aside from this, three additional cases concerning Mr Trump’s behaviour during the insurrection on January 6th, 2021, his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence and attempts to undermine the 2020 Georgia election are concurrently unfolding. Yet Mr Trump’s legal representatives have so far been able to postpone these cases.
Despite his numerous legal issues, Mr Trump remains a likely contender for the Republican presidential nomination and is expected to challenge President Biden in the November election once more. When compared directly, Mr Trump often has a slight lead over Biden, especially in pivotal swing states that will crucially influence the occupant of the White House.