- Seven jurors, three ladies and 4 males, have been chosen Tuesday in Trump’s Manhattan hush-money trial.
- Trump gave reporters a preview of his potential protection as he entered the courtroom.
- The previous president blamed “some accountant.”
Tuesday was day two of jury choice in Donald Trump’s Manhattan hush-money trial, a full day that started with the previous president previewing his potential protection to reporters: the hush-money fee truly was a authorized expense — so far as he knew.
And “some accountant” on the Trump Group dealt with the paperwork he is now on trial for.
“I used to be paying a lawyer and marked it down as a authorized expense,” Trump mentioned within the hallway outdoors the courtroom, in response to a query shouted by a pool reporter.
“Some accountant, I did not know, marked it down as a authorized expense,” Trump continued.
“That is precisely what it was. And also you get indicted over that?” he continued.
Trump take a look at drove his protection on a busy second day of trial, although the GOP frontrunner appeared to have a tough time staying awake, particularly within the morning.
Seven jurors — 4 males, and three ladies have been chosen.
A complete of 89 potential jurors have been questioned however have been let go as a result of they they may not be neutral, or have been rejected by both aspect or the decide.
Which means for each juror chosen, 12 did not make the reduce.
The protection blew by means of six of its valuable ten peremptory challenges in a single day. Prosecutors used up 5 peremptories and have 5 remaining.
When court docket resumes on Thursday, the events will start choosing the final 5 jurors and as many as six alternates from a brand new pool of 96 potential jurors.
The seven chosen jurors have been advised to anticipate to return on Monday for opening statements.
The Manhattan district legal professional’s indictment alleges that he falsified 34 Trump Group enterprise information — disguising them as authorized charges for his then lawyer, Michael Cohen — to cowl up an unlawful scheme to intrude with the 2016 election.
The falsified information hid a $130,000 hush cash fee to Stormy Daniels, a porn star who was about to publicly allege that again in 2006, she and the then-Apprentice star had intercourse — a declare Trump has denied.
Trump’s hallway remarks counsel his legal professionals will argue at trial that he was at the hours of darkness about what prosecutors say are falsified paperwork.
Additionally Tuesday morning, prosecutors made good on the day gone by’s promise to demand that Trump be held in contempt of court docket for violating his gag order.”
“Defendant willfully violated this Court docket’s order by publishing a number of social media posts attacking two identified witnesses, Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels,” prosecutors wrote in a brand new movement.
The protection has till Friday to file a response explaining why Trump shouldn’t be held in contempt. Ought to state Supreme Court docket Justice Juan Merchan discover Trump in contempt, potential penalties embody fines and, within the excessive, jail time.
No jurors have been chosen throughout 4 hours of jury choice on Monday, a day that started with a half-day of arguments over pretrial motions.
All potential jurors are being requested to reply questions on a jury questionnaire as legal professionals for Trump and District Lawyer Alvin Bragg pay attention intently.
The questionnaire asks primary biographical questions — “in what neighborhood do reside?” and “what do you do for a residing” amongst them.
It additionally asks potential jurors to say in the event that they’ve learn any of Trump’s books, if they’re supporters of QAnon or Antifa, and whether or not they have “robust opinions or firmly held beliefs about former President Donald Trump.”
This story has been up to date to incorporate developments from all through the day on Tuesday.
