Former President Donald Trump smiled at a prospective juror's response to a question during jury selection on Tuesday morning, according to Newsweek reporter Katherine Fung, who attended the trial.
Judge Juan Merchan is working to secure the 12 jurors and six alternatives who will determine whether Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, broke the law by allegedly giving a "hush money" payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.
The case centers on a 34-count indictment from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg last year charging Trump with falsifying business documents related to the payment, which his office alleged was intended to prevent Daniels from speaking publicly about her claims of having an affair with the former president.
Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels and pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges. He has accused Bragg of targeting him for political purposes, describing the trial as a form of election interference, and has frequently been critical of Judge Merchan.
Jury selection could take weeks as both the prosecution and defense seek to pick jurors who are able to decide on the case without bias, which experts say could be a challenge due to Trump's level of fame and the fact that he evokes strong feelings for many Americans.
During the second day of jury selection, one juror sparked a smile from the former president when he said he had read some of Trump's books, including The Art of the Deal and How to Get Rich.
The smile came after he asked if the title of How to Get Rich was correct, to which Trump smiled and nodded, Fung reported from the courtroom.
The prospective juror is a Battery Park City resident originally from Boston who enjoys learning about politics and current events. He is also on the board of his synagogue, and he and his wife are members of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
He noted he has relatives who are Republican lobbyists, and that he followed the former president on X (then Twitter) while he was serving as president. He also said he has a generally favorable view of the justice system, pointing to several experiences he and his family have had with it, including when his daughter was a victim of assault.
Merchan has determined that all jurors' identities will remain anonymous to the public, citing "a likelihood of bribery, jury tampering, or of physical injury or harassment of juror(s)." However, both the prosecution and defense will know their identities.
During the first day of jury selection on Monday, the first 96 prospective jurors were sworn in. Ultimately, more than 50 were quickly dismissed for saying they could not be fair and impartial. Some others were also excused when asked if there was another reason they couldn't serve.
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Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
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