by Jack Queen and Luc Cohen
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Twelve jurors were selected on Thursday for Donald Trump’s criminal trial in the case of bribes paid to former porn star Stormy Daniels.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors must still select the alternate jurors who will make up the rest of the popular jury.
Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over this historic criminal trial, the first to involve a former US president, indicated that opening statements could be presented on Monday.
Earlier in the day, Juan Merchan accepted the withdrawal of a juror who said she feared that her personal information would be revealed.
The judge also announced the withdrawal of another juror after prosecutors said he failed to disclose certain information related to run-ins with the law.
Donald Trump’s notoriety has led to unprecedented problems in jury selection. More than half of potential jurors were dismissed after saying they could not be impartial in judging.
Juan Merchan also imposed a gag order, while Donald Trump made statements about witnesses, prosecutors, the judge and their families.
The juror who asked to withdraw said that family members, some of her friends and colleagues had inferred that she had been selected for the jury.
“I don’t think I can be fair and impartial and not let outside influences affect my decision-making in court,” she said.
Juan Merchan has taken steps to protect the jurors from any form of harassment, in particular by ensuring their anonymity. Only Donald Trump, his lawyers and prosecutors know their identities.
The judge said Thursday he would prohibit the media from reporting certain details about the jurors, including those relating to their jobs.
New York prosecutors have asked Juan Merchan to fine the ex-president for social media posts this month about Stormy Daniels and her former lawyer, Michael Cohen, saying Donald Trump had violated the obligation of silence imposed by the judge.
Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Monday to 34 counts of falsifying documents to conceal the payment of $130,000 (122,031.35 euros) made by his former lawyer Michael Cohen to silence former pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels about a sexual relationship she claims to have had ten years earlier with Donald Trump – a relationship that the latter denies.
The former president also faces three other criminal cases, relating to his efforts to overturn the result of the presidential election against Joe Biden in 2020 and his handling of sensitive government documents after leaving office in 2021.
The Republican presidential candidate denounced all criminal cases against him as intended to harm him politically, while warning that he would seek to turn the Justice Department against his adversaries politicians, including Joe Biden, if he returns to the White House.
A conviction would not prevent him from running for president or becoming president.
(With contributions from Andrew Goudsward in Washington, written by Andy Sullivan; French version Camille Raynaud)
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