As most of the world is probably aware, today is the first day of Donald Trump’s first trial, the hush money trial (he covered up a sex scandal by falsifying business records). And jury selection is the first order of business. Ninety-six prospective jurors were brought into the courtroom and half were immediately excused when they indicated with raised hands that they could not be fair and impartial. Certainly no surprise.
Anyone who has ever been called for jury duty has some idea of what is transpiring and can perhaps imagine themselves in that courtroom. I know I can. I’ve been summoned for jury duty at least half a dozen times, with all sorts of outcomes … except actually serving on a jury. I’ve been excused because my boss said I wouldn’t get paid for my time off work, and because enough jurors had already been selected, and because the defendant had fled the building, and because I was ill, and because I admitted I could not disregard the defendant’s prior conviction. I did actually get seated once, and then someone, likely a relative, informed the court that my dad was in the hospital (which I knew, and it wasn’t anything serious) and I was immediately dismissed.
Anyway, I find myself really intrigued by the jury selection for Trump’s trial. I’m not surprised that half of those in the pool today recused themselves immediately. I wouldn’t have been surprised if more than that had left. Wouldn’t most people in New York City, by now, have an opinion about Trump? How hard is it going to be to find twelve jurors and six alternates who think (or at least say) they can be impartial in this case?
I read somewhere that a pool of some 500 potential jurors has been called. Will that be enough? Will those individuals be looking for excuses to be excused or excuses to stay for the potential circus? (This judge has already fined Trump several times for violating gag orders. I’d bet money he can’t restrain himself through an entire trial.)
I think Trump’s trial would be fascinating to watch. But not as a juror having to be there for an unknown number of weeks, if not months. I could not be fair. Or impartial. Or objective. I cannot stand Donald Trump and can’t wait to see him convicted of a felony.
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Banner photo: Trump in court today. (Jefferson Siegel for The New York Times)
I hadn’t thought of the jury selection (not frightfully practical, me) 🙁
It will be – can only possibly be – twelve liars.
As you might imagine, jury selection is THE story today in the US. At least in national tv news. Most of the other news is just running in chyrons. But yes, twelve liars doesn’t seem like a stretch. How could you live in NYC for any time at all without learning something about Trump?
He looks like a corpse
LOL! I take it you have your glasses on …
absolutely
In my life I’ve been summoned to a jury pool exactly once, but then I was excused because of a medical reason. Maybe it’s that I’m an engineer and have a military background. I did serve on a court-martial once.
The rules for jury selection seem odd, but then I can’t think of better methods. One of my all-time favorite movies is “Twelve angry men.”
I’m sure the rules vary from place to place. I don’t recall what they were in Oklahoma City, but here in Thornton registered voters automatically get called every three years. Your occupation, background, etc., isn’t considered until or unless you get to voir dire and an attorney dismisses you. But you can ask to be excused prior to that for assorted reasons including illness, being out of town, having to work, etc.
I have been called many times but never was placed on the jury. The last time I was called I was excused because I said that I had some concerns about the “stand my ground” law (which was what the case was about) and would need to be convinced that the shooter’s use of a gun would seem reasonable to an objective observer. In other words, I don’t think you get to shoot someone just because you felt threatened; the threat needs to be real. Yeah. That didn’t fly and I was gone. I think that I am right about this as there have been many instances of people getting shot because someone “felt” threatened. Knocking on the wrong door, or turning around in someone’s driveway, shouldn’t be enough reason to fire a gun and take a life.
These days I have a medical exemption and am no longer eligible to be called.
I’ve been thinking of these jurors all week. I hope that they stay safe.
RE stand your ground laws or make my day law or castle law… In Oklahoma the common wisdom was go ahead and shoot ’em but then be sure to drag them onto your property. Yep, I’d have problems with those situations — knocking on the wrong door or turning into the wrong driveway. Neither of those should get someone killed. If you’re in your house with the doors locked … you’re safe and don’t shoot unless someone has broken in. When the law is expanded to allow you to shoot someone when you’re out in public, just because you “feel threatened,” it really gets iffy. These days, too many people have guns and are too trigger happy.
That one woman asked to be excused from the jury because some people had figured out she was on the jury. I don’t blame her. I wouldn’t want to be identified as a juror on Trump’s trial. If he’s convicted I’d be scared somebody would come after me.