Judge in Trump Trial Bans Reporting on Prospective Jurors’ Occupations

The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial has instructed journalists in the courtroom not to disclose potential jurors’ responses to questions regarding their current and previous employers.

These responses will also be removed from court transcripts.

This directive comes as jury selection reaches a crucial stage on Thursday, with attorneys aiming to complete the New York panel that will determine the outcome of the first-ever criminal case against a former president.

The selection process hit a setback when one of the seven jurors selected, an oncology nurse, expressed doubts about her ability to remain impartial upon further reflection. This juror was dismissed, leaving six members on the panel so far, including a software engineer, an IT professional, a sales professional, an English teacher, and two lawyers.

Another twelve individuals still need to be sworn in, with the judge anticipating that opening statements in this landmark case could begin as early as next week.

The process of jury selection is a crucial aspect of any criminal trial, particularly when the defendant is a former president and a presumptive Republican nominee.

Potential jurors have been extensively questioned about their social media activity, personal lives, and political beliefs as attorneys and the judge seek to identify any biases that could impact their impartiality. There is a general recognition within the courtroom that finding jurors without prior knowledge of Trump is improbable, with a prosecutor stating this week that they were not seeking individuals who have been “living under a rock for the past eight years.”

Some of the selected jurors have admitted to holding their own opinions about Trump.

“I find him fascinating and mysterious,” shared one juror selected for the case, an IT professional. “He enters a room and elicits strong reactions from people, one way or another. I find that aspect very intriguing. ‘Really? This one guy could have such an impact? Wow.’ That’s my perspective.”

The proceedings have progressed more rapidly than anticipated, prompting Trump to criticize Judge Juan Merchan for “rushing” the trial as he exited the courthouse on Tuesday.

The case revolves around a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s lawyer and personal fixer, Michael Cohen, to porn actress Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election to prevent her allegations of a sexual encounter with Trump from going public in the final days of the campaign.

Prosecutors allege that Trump falsified business records to conceal the true purpose of the payments when his company reimbursed Cohen. Cohen pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a key witness for the prosecution.

Trump has denied any sexual encounter with Daniels, while his legal team argues that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

Trump is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. If convicted, he could receive a sentence of up to four years in prison, though it remains uncertain if the judge would choose to incarcerate him. Trump would likely appeal any conviction.