By the end of the day on Thursday, the jury in the first criminal trial of former President Donald Trump had been seated. Only five alternates are left to be selected on Friday.
Here are the takeaways from Thursday’s topsy-turvy jury selection in Trump’s criminal trial:
- "We have our jury": Once Trump’s attorneys and the district attorney’s office used up their 10 peremptory strikes to remove jurors, things moved quickly. The judge rejected Trump’s challenges to remove jurors for cause because they had expressed negative opinions about Trump, telling the former president’s attorneys that not liking his persona was not enough. The seated jury includes seven men and five women.
- At least a couple of jurors on Trump’s panel said they aren’t a fan: On Thursday afternoon, jurors were generally more open about their opinions of Trump. Many said they didn’t like his politics or some of his behavior in public but felt they could see past that to be a fair and impartial juror. One woman who will eventually decide Trump’s fate called him selfish and self-serving. “I don’t like his persona,” she said. “I don’t like some of my coworkers, but I don’t try to sabotage their work.”
- There were some bumps with the jury, likely not the last: Thursday’s court session began with one of the seven jurors who had been empaneled Tuesday returning to ask to be dismissed from the jury. She was excused after she said she was concerned aspects of her identity were made public. Later, a second juror was excused after prosecutors questioned the truthfulness of the answers he gave to questions from attorneys on Tuesday.
- DA’s office won’t tell Trump which witnesses they will call: Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche asked the district attorney’s office to share the first three witnesses they plan to call. The district attorney’s office refused. Assistant District Attorney Josh Steinglass acknowledged that courtesy is often extended. But because Trump has been posting on social media about their witnesses, he said with a shrug, “We’re not telling him who the witnesses are.”
- We’re on track to start opening arguments Monday: 22 prospective jurors have yet to go through the questionnaire process from the second panel. Merchan will begin with them on Friday to try to fill out a slate of five additional alternate jurors, although the judge noted he may change that number. If jury selection wraps up quickly enough Friday, Merchan said he will hold what’s called a Sandoval hearing Friday afternoon, where they will discuss what in Trump’s legal history can be used to try to impeach him if he chooses to testify.