Seated Trump Juror Dismissed After Huge Admission

The jury selection process in the criminal case against former President Donald Trump in Manhattan, where he faces 34 felony charges of falsifying business records, has seen progress followed by setbacks.

"After seating seven jurors this week, Judge Juan Merchan was forced to excuse one of them after she expressed doubt about her ability to be impartial," reported CBS News.

The excused juror, identified as having concerns about her impartiality due to media exposure and personal disclosures, stated, “Aspects of my identity have already been out there in public. I don’t think at this point that I can be fair and unbiased.”

Merchan, reacting to the potential influence of media reporting on jurors, issued restrictions on reporting about jurors' physical appearances and the companies they work for, aiming to protect their identities.

"A second juror came under scrutiny after prosecutors raised questions about a possible connection to a past 'corruption investigation' dating back to the 90s," the report added.

This development introduced uncertainty about the second juror's eligibility and potential impact on the jury selection process.

The court's effort to impanel 12 jurors and six alternates faced challenges despite initial progress. The process started with a pool of 96 potential jurors, with approximately half quickly dismissed due to doubts about impartiality.

The case's expected duration, "up to two months," according to CBS, led to scheduling conflicts for some potential jurors, resulting in their dismissal by Merchan.

Trump's demeanor in court, as noted by USA Today, has been described as "largely quiet and reserved," despite his public opposition to the case. The report also mentioned the possibility of delaying any sentence until after Trump's potential second term in the White House, should he win in November.