Jury selection is set to start Monday in former President Donald Trump’s hush-money trial.
hush money case — the first trial among four criminal prosecutions of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. The proceedings present a historic challenge for the court, the lawyers and the everyday citizens who find themselves in the jury pool.Those problems include finding people who can be impartial about one of the most polarizing figures in American life and detecting any bias among prospective jurors without invading the privacy of the ballot box.
Over the last year, writer E. Jean Carroll's sex assault and defamation civil suits against Trump went before juries in a nearby federal courthouse. New York state's fraud lawsuit against the ex-president and his company went to trial without a jury last fall in a state court next door. The process of choosing a jury begins when Merchan fills his New Deal-era courtroom with prospective jurors, giving them a brief description of the case and other basics. Then the judge will excuse any people who indicate by a show of hands that they can’t serve or can’t be fair and impartial, he wrote.
But the approved questionnaire asks, for example, whether someone has “political, moral, intellectual or religious beliefs or opinions” that might “slant your approach to this case." Another query probes whether prospective jurors support any of a half-dozen far-right or far-left groups, have attended Trump or anti-Trump rallies, and have worked or volunteered for Trump or for organizations that criticize him.
“A lot of times you make assumptions, and arguably stereotypes, about people that aren't true, so it’s important to listen to what they say” in court and, if possible, online, says Thaddeus Hoffmeister, a University of Dayton law professor who studies juries.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Jury selection begins Monday for Trump's historic Manhattan hush-money trialThe proceedings present a historic challenge for the court, the lawyers and the everyday citizens who find themselves in the jury pool.
Read more »
Queens teenager with autism, missing since Monday night, found safe in Lower ManhattanChad May, who is non-verbal, made his way to an ice cream shop, where employees soon realized something was wrong.
Read more »
Zombies, spirits and murder: Jury selection in Chad Daybell trial starts MondayZombies, dark spirits and murder are just some of the things people can expect to hear about if they tune into the Chad Daybell Trial.
Read more »
Former President Trump's Trial Begins in ManhattanA dozen Manhattan residents are set to become the first Americans to serve as jurors in the trial of former President Donald Trump, who is facing criminal charges. The trial poses unique challenges in finding impartial jurors and detecting bias without invading privacy.
Read more »
'Whole science' behind jury selection: Trump's hush money trial to begin MondayThe trial for Trump's hush money case is set to begin on Monday, with the selection of the jury being a crucial aspect. This article explores the science behind jury selection and its importance in the trial.
Read more »
Mainly cloudy, windy Monday; Rain, storms late Monday nightMontgomery, Alabama
Read more »