Trump trial live updates: 2nd juror excused, leaving 5 seated for now

Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.

MORE: Who are the first 7 jurors of Trump’s historic criminal trial

Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.

MORE: Who are the key players in Donald Trump’s Manhattan hush money trial?

Jury selection could take up to two weeks, with the entire trial expected to last between six and eight weeks.

Latest Developments

Apr 18, 3:55 PM

3rd group of prospective jurors sworn in

A third batch of 100 prospective jurors has just been sworn and sent home, while prosecutors and defense attorneys ponder which potential jurors who they just questioned individually should be excused for cause or with a peremptory challenge.

It’s the third group of jurors who have been sworn in for consideration, after 96 jurors arrived Monday and another 96 arrived Tuesday.

The 18 people who were being in the jury box left the room when the new group of jurors entered, creating a brief traffic jam.

Defense attorney Susan Necheles ended her individual questioning by asking prospective jurors if they would be capable of returning a not guilty verdict if the prosecutors did not prove their case.

“If they do not prove it, I will not be returning a guilty verdict,” said a woman.

The court is looking for seven more jurors and six alternates.

 Apr 18, 3:49 PM

Trump hears differing views of his personality

Former President Trump, sitting at the defense table, just finished listening to opposite reviews of his presidency and character.

First, a prospective female juror bluntly said, “I don’t like his persona,” when asked if she has any strong opinions about him.

“The way he presents himself in public … he is just very selfish and self serving,” the prospective juror said. “So I don’t really appreciate that in any public servant. I don’t know him as a person … but just how he is in public, and how he carries himself in public, it’s not my cup of tea.”

Trump seemed to be leaning forward listening carefully to her answer, at times fidgeting. He leaned back and crossed his arms when she finished.

Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings during jury selection at Manhattan criminal court, April 18, 2024 in New York.

Then, a male prospective juror took the mic and said he found Trump “pretty amazing.”

“He was a businessman in New York. He forged his way,” the prospective juror said. “He kind of made history … I’m impressed with that.”

Trump leaned forward again, listening to this new answer.

“I started as an entrepeneur as well … made a lot of things happen,” the prospective juror said. “Just like he has.”

A lifelong New Yorker who works in law enforcement, he said that his love of hockey also made him feel warmly toward Trump.

“As a wannabe hockey player, I still thank him for fixing that Wollman Rink that nobody could fix,” he said of the ice skating rink in Central Park that Trump had refurbished in the 1980s.

 Apr 18, 3:36 PM

Defense attorney probes jury prospects for bias

Defense attorney Susan Necheles is now questioning the potential jurors to probe for any bias they might have regarding the former president.

“Do you have strong feelings about President Trump?” Necheles asked a prospective juror who lives on the Upper West Side and works in publishing.

“I disagree with most of his policies,” she responded, though she added she did not have a strong opinion of Trump personally. “It is purely a political opinion.”

A woman who lives in Inwood and works as a paralegal at a major law firm acknowledged that she might have made some negative social media posts about Trump.

“His politics aren’t always my politics,” she said of the former president.

“Is this going to affect how you are going to look at the evidence of this case, even if you want to be fair?” Necheles asked the jurors broadly.

 Apr 18, 3:17 PM

Prosecutor tells jury pool some witnesses have ‘baggage’

As the jury selection process continued, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass acknowledged to the prospective jurors that some of the witnesses in the case have “some baggage” — something that Donald Trump has harped on repeatedly as he’s sought to call into question the credibility of the witnesses who may testify against him.

“Some of the witnesses have what you might consider some baggage,” Steinglass said, noting they would hear from “a tabloid publisher,” a “porn star,” and a “former lawyer” of Donald Trump who has plead guilty to other crimes. Steinglass said some of them have gone on podcasts, or “publicly denied” some facts in the case.

In this courtroom sketch, former President Donald Trump far right, turns around and looks at prospective jurors who raised their hands requesting to be excused from the jury panel in Manhattan Criminal Court, April 18, 2024, in New York.

“Will you keep an open mind?” Steinglass asked.

Few of the prospective jurors took issue with it.

One prospective juror said she’s “100% confident” she can keep an open mind.

“I’d have to wait to hear everything and see if it’s compelling or not,” said another.

 Apr 18, 2:53 PM

Court resumes with questioning of prospective jurors

Court resumed after the lunch break with the individual questioning of 18 prospective jurors, who are seated in the jury box.

Assistant District Attorney Josh Steinglass began with a rhetorical question for the group: “How am I considered for this case of all cases?”

Steinglass said the case was not a referendum on the Trump presidency or anyone’s politics. “This case is about whether this man broke the law,” he said, gesturing toward Trump.

Former President Donald Trump sits beside his lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove during jury selection of his criminal trial in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 18, 2024 in this courtroom sketch.

“I could be objective,” one of the prospective jurors, the security officer with Rangers seats and a flip phone, said.

Before the questions resumed, Judge Juan Merchan addressed the temperature in the courtroom.

“I want to apologize that it’s chilly in here,” Merchan said.

Earlier, when defense attorney Todd Blanche asked to make the courtroom warmer, the judge had said he feared a one-degree bump in the nearly century-old building could increase the temperature by 30 degrees.

 Apr 18, 1:16 PM

Prospective juror born in Italy is excused

A prospective juror was promptly excused after he explained he was born and raised in Italy, where he said the media has a “strong association” between Donald Trump and scandal-plagued former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi that would prevent him from being fair.

“Now that I’m sitting here, it’s going to be hard for me to retain my impartiality and fairness,” the man said before he was excused.

Court subsequently recessed for lunch, with the questioning of potential jurors scheduled to resume after the break.

 Apr 18, 1:02 PM

Long Island native answers attorneys’ questions

After losing two jurors, the selection process is stretching on this afternoon with prospective jurors standing up one-by-one to read the questionnaire.

“This is so bizarre,” said a Long Island native when time came for her turn.

The woman is married with two children and has served on a jury three times before. She said her son is some sort of rating analyst, but conceded, “I don’t actually know what he does.”

Defense attorney Todd Blanche appeared to laugh at that answer. Donald Trump did not.

Former President Donald Trump folds his hands as he arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, April 18, 2024.

In response to the question of whether she can put aside bias, the prospective juror answered, “Yes, I will be unbiased. I will be very impartial.”

Trump has appeared at times interested in some of the jurors as they work through their questionnaires. As one woman read her answers out loud, Trump turned his body to face her, slid is arm over the back of his chair, and crossed one leg over the other, listening.

 Apr 18, 12:24 PM

2nd juror excused, leaving 5 seated for now

Judge Juan Merchan has excused Juror No. 4 after he returned to the courtroom to speak with the judge.

There are now five jurors seated, after Juror No. 2 was excused earlier.

Former President Donald Trump, seated far left, looks on with Judge Juan Merchan presiding as members of the jury panel answer questions from the jury questionnaire in Manhattan criminal court April 18, 2024, in New York.

Judge Merchan said the man “expressed annoyance” at how much personal information about him had been publicized.

Trump looked on from his seat, alone, as the attorneys spoke to the judge.

The judge said the sidebar discussion would be sealed and omitted from the daily transcript.

 Apr 18, 12:13 PM

Judge, attorneys question Juror No. 4

Juror No. 4, who the DA’s office said apparently failed to disclose prior encounters with the judicial system when he was picked for the jury, returned to the courtroom where he was questioned by Judge Merchan and attorneys for the two sides.

The discussion took place at the bench, out of earshot, in a private sidebar. Trump remained seated.

Assistant District Attorney Josh Steinglass questioned the juror, a grandfather originally from Puerto Rico who earlier indicated he found Trump “fascinating.”

Former President Donald Trump, flanked by attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, arrives at Manhattan criminal court with his legal team as jury selection continues in New York, April 18, 2024.

At one point, the juror broke out laughing. Defense attorney Todd Blanche also appeared to be laughing.

The man was then escorted from the courtroom, after which the judge said he would give the attorneys a few minutes to discuss the circumstances with the juror, who prosecutors determined had ripped down political posters in Westchester County in the 1990s. The posters leaned to the “political right,” Steinglass had said.

There was also a prior deferred prosecution agreement the juror’s wife entered into with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which he also failed to disclose while responding to the jury questionnaire.

 Apr 18, 11:42 AM

Law enforcement officer draws chuckles

“Good morning and thank you for having me,” a prospective juror boomed, shaking a sleepy courtroom to attention and drawing a chuckle when he revealed he served as a court security officer.

The man proudly declared he’s “born and raised” in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, and has been in law enforcement for 34 years, assigned by the New York State court system to the Court of Claims.

Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings during jury selection at Manhattan criminal court, April 18, 2024 in New York.

He said he’s a New York Rangers season ticket holder and does not have a smartphone.

“I still use a flip phone,” he said.

He also said the only news he gets is from the Daily News and the New York Post.

Click here to read the rest of the blog.