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Donald Trump’s marketing campaign has furiously denied rumours that the previous president fell asleep in the course of the first day of his historic felony trial in New York.
At varied factors throughout proceedings on Monday, Mr Trump, who’s making historical past as soon as once more as the primary American president to ever stand trial on felony costs, appeared to battle to maintain his eyes open, incomes the nicknames “Sleepy Don” and “Don Snoreleone” – the latter a reference to the mafia kingpin Don Vito Corleone from the Godfather sequence.
The Republican has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business information in a bid to hide a hush money fee made to grownup movie star Stormy Daniels within the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election to be able to silence her about an alleged affair in 2006.
The costs on their very own are misdemeanours however have been elevated to felonies as a result of Manhattan district legal professional Alvin Bragg says they violated state and federal election legal guidelines.
Mr Trump denies the affair and has pleaded not responsible.
Jury choice within the trial continues right this moment, with greater than 50 folks excused thus far after admitting they may not be honest or neutral to the defendant.
Juror B14 is “not really into politics, I work in sports.”
But “I’m a female … I know there’s been cases, or maybe not cases, about how he doesn’t treat females correctly, stuff like that,” she mentioned. “I honestly don’t know the story.”
Blanche is attempting to press juror B113 – the bookseller – about his opinions of Trump. Yesterday he mentioned that “nobody is above the law, whether it’s a former president, a sitting president, or a janitor.”
“What I think about President Trump outside of this room has nothing to do with what’s going on inside this room,” he mentioned.
Blanche tries once more to get some extra out of that.
“That’s what I’m saying. My view doesn’t matter. If we were sitting in a bar, I would tell you. But in this room, what I feel about President Trump is not important,” he added.
“I’ll say I’m a Democrat. There you go,” he mentioned. “I walk in here, and he’s a defendant, that’s all he is.”
Blanche strikes on to a different juror.
Juror B14 is “not really into politics, I work in sports.”
But “I’m a female … I know there’s been cases, or maybe not cases, about how he doesn’t treat females correctly, stuff like that,” she mentioned. “I honestly don’t know the story.”
Blanche is attempting to press juror B113 – the bookseller – about his opinions of Trump. Yesterday he mentioned that “nobody is above the law, whether it’s a former president, a sitting president, or a janitor.”
“What I think about President Trump outside of this room has nothing to do with what’s going on inside this room,” he mentioned.
Blanche tries once more to get some extra out of that.
“That’s what I’m saying. My view doesn’t matter. If we were sitting in a bar, I would tell you. But in this room, what I feel about President Trump is not important,” he added.
“I’ll say I’m a Democrat. There you go,” he mentioned. “I walk in here, and he’s a defendant, that’s all he is.”
Blanche strikes on to a different juror.
Alex Woodward16 April 2024 17:33
Court resumes after fast recess
Alex Woodward stories from the court docket:
Court resumed after a brief recess with Trump lawyer Todd Blanche now addressing the potential jurors.
“It’s easy to read something off a sheet of paper and say yes I’m going to be fair and impartial. What I want to do is test that a little bit,” he mentioned.
“We all know that every one of you knows President Trump, and you all know him in different ways, and you all have different views of him.”
Blanche asks juror B280 for her opinion.
“I don’t really have one,” she mentioned. “Nobody is above the law. I’m here to hear the facts, both sides.”
She mentioned she thought she was “going home yesterday and back to work,” however is now within the jury field. “I’m here to listen to the facts,” she mentioned.
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 17:24
Steinglass says: “This case isn’t about whether you like Donald Trump, it’s about the rule of law.”
He continues by saying that he would not anticipate jurors to not have heard concerning the case or have mentioned it with mates however does anticipate an open thoughts.
Jurors could have access to proof and testimony that the media has not seen and will likely be instructed on how this sits alongside the regulation.
Trump watched the jurors and craned his neck to see who was speaking within the jury field.
The court docket breaks for a ten-minute recess.
Judge Merchan discusses Trump’s proper and former want to be current at sidebars. The former president has apparently modified his thoughts since yesterday, and can now waive his proper to be current for them.
“Your attorneys indicated to me that you changed your mind,” Judge Merchan mentioned.
Steinglass says: “This case isn’t about whether you like Donald Trump, it’s about the rule of law.”
He continues by saying that he would not anticipate jurors to not have heard concerning the case or have mentioned it with mates however does anticipate an open thoughts.
Jurors could have access to proof and testimony that the media has not seen and will likely be instructed on how this sits alongside the regulation.
Trump watched the jurors and craned his neck to see who was speaking within the jury field.
The court docket breaks for a ten-minute recess.
Judge Merchan discusses Trump’s proper and former want to be current at sidebars. The former president has apparently modified his thoughts since yesterday, and can now waive his proper to be current for them.
“Your attorneys indicated to me that you changed your mind,” Judge Merchan mentioned.
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 17:15
Watch: Dismissed Trump juror reveals why she couldn’t participate in trial
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 17:05
Prosecution addresses jurors who handed questionnaire
Alex Woodward stories for The Independent from the courthouse:
Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass is up first to talk with the jurors.
“I’m sure many of you are saying to yourself, How am I being considered for this case?” Steinglass mentioned.
He mentioned they’re not attempting to “pry into your lives,” solely to “pick a jury that will be fair to both sides.”
“Let’s start with the obvious. The defendant in this case is a former president and a current candidate for that office. We don’t expect you to be living under a rock for the last eight years or last 30 years,” he mentioned.
This case has nothing to do with private politics and isn’t a referendum, he mentioned.
“This case is about whether this man broke the law. Did he falsify business records to cover up an agreement to unlawfully influence the 2016 election,” he added.
There have been no instant objections when requested to observe the decide’s directions and promise to deal with the proof.
Juror B146, the bookseller who answered the questionnaire on Monday, mentioned: “Because of the particulars of this case, it really doesn’t have anything to do with my political inclinations.”
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 16:53
Hush money trial: Only one-third of Americans say they assume Donald Trump acted illegally
He has pleaded not responsible and has repeatedly denied that the affair ever occurred.
On prime of this, if a jury discovered Mr Trump responsible within the hush money case, 50 per cent of Americans wouldn’t contemplate him match for workplace, the AP-NORC ballot confirmed.
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 16:40
The subsequent potential juror is a college trainer and former juvenile case employee who likes pictures, theatre and travelling. She talked about that she is “not gonna sit here and pretend” that Trump created a “divide” in his nation throughout his candidacy however promised to be neutral. She additionally requested if it was OK if she got here throughout information concerning the case whereas scrolling on social media. Merchan says she will’t do something about that.
The subsequent juror is a local New Yorker who lives in Chelsea and works as a software program engineer for the Walt Disney Company.
Moving on, the following potential juror has lived in New York for 25 years and lives on the Upper East Side. She runs a healthcare consulting firm together with her husband.
On these questions concerning being neutral and whether or not she had robust opinions about Trump, she hesitated, sighed, and mentioned “I’m not sure that I can say beyond a reasonable doubt … but I’m not 100 per cent that I can be fair.”
Finally, a married college trainer who lives on the Upper West Side is the following juror. Her brother was as soon as shot by a stray bullet in his leg and her catalytic converter was stolen from her automotive.
Lawyers will now tackle the jurors who stay within the field.
The subsequent potential juror is a college trainer and former juvenile case employee who likes pictures, theatre and travelling. She talked about that she is “not gonna sit here and pretend” that Trump created a “divide” in his nation throughout his candidacy however promised to be neutral. She additionally requested if it was OK if she got here throughout information concerning the case whereas scrolling on social media. Merchan says she will’t do something about that.
The subsequent juror is a local New Yorker who lives in Chelsea and works as a software program engineer for the Walt Disney Company.
Moving on, the following potential juror has lived in New York for 25 years and lives on the Upper East Side. She runs a healthcare consulting firm together with her husband.
On these questions concerning being neutral and whether or not she had robust opinions about Trump, she hesitated, sighed, and mentioned “I’m not sure that I can say beyond a reasonable doubt … but I’m not 100 per cent that I can be fair.”
Finally, a married college trainer who lives on the Upper West Side is the following juror. Her brother was as soon as shot by a stray bullet in his leg and her catalytic converter was stolen from her automotive.
Lawyers will now tackle the jurors who stay within the field.
Alex Woodward16 April 2024 16:30
Liz Truss says world was ‘safer’ below Trump as she endorses him for US president
I’m undecided the world was safer below Liz Truss however then, mercifully, we have been solely subjected to her “leadership” for seven weeks.
Here’s Jabad Ahmed on her latest painful try to crack America following her bemoaning the “deep state” at CPAC in February.
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 16:20
Watch: 10 potential jurors have handed questionnaire spherical, MSNBC stories
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 16:20
The subsequent potential juror is initially from Puerto Rico, works in IT coaching and consulting, and has lived within the Lower East Side for 40 years. He’s been married “a long time” and has one youngster and two grandchildren. “I have no spare time … I guess my hobby is my family,” he mentioned.
After him, the following juror – a 40-year resident of Battery Park City – is the primary amongst these surveyed to be a sufferer of against the law. He was robbed at knifepoint. An ex-girlfriend was mugged and punched within the face, his mom was a sufferer of a violent assault, and his daughter who’s now deceased was sexually assaulted.
He’s additionally the one juror thus far who ever adopted Trump on Twitter, on the time. He additionally learn The Art of the Deal. He and his spouse are additionally members of the ACLU.
Next up is a “happily” retired former MTA employee who’s now not married and has 4 kids and 4 grandchildren. She likes mountain climbing together with her canine, spending time on Cape Cod, enjoying guitar, and studying books. She sometimes will get information from The New York Times, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Daily News, Facebook, WSJ (“when my next-door neighbour gives it to me”), Fox News, and NY1. She additionally listens to This American Life, Ezra Klein and Hardcore History podcasts, in addition to Brian Lehrer on WNYC.
She mentioned she’s been to a “pro-choice rally” however wasn’t certain if it was Trump-related, and on her Facebook web page, “there’s a lot of things on there that I didn’t ask to be put on there,” like posts from Occupy Democrats.
The subsequent potential juror is initially from Puerto Rico, works in IT coaching and consulting, and has lived within the Lower East Side for 40 years. He’s been married “a long time” and has one youngster and two grandchildren. “I have no spare time … I guess my hobby is my family,” he mentioned.
After him, the following juror – a 40-year resident of Battery Park City – is the primary amongst these surveyed to be a sufferer of against the law. He was robbed at knifepoint. An ex-girlfriend was mugged and punched within the face, his mom was a sufferer of a violent assault, and his daughter who’s now deceased was sexually assaulted.
He’s additionally the one juror thus far who ever adopted Trump on Twitter, on the time. He additionally learn The Art of the Deal. He and his spouse are additionally members of the ACLU.
Next up is a “happily” retired former MTA employee who’s now not married and has 4 kids and 4 grandchildren. She likes mountain climbing together with her canine, spending time on Cape Cod, enjoying guitar, and studying books. She sometimes will get information from The New York Times, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Daily News, Facebook, WSJ (“when my next-door neighbour gives it to me”), Fox News, and NY1. She additionally listens to This American Life, Ezra Klein and Hardcore History podcasts, in addition to Brian Lehrer on WNYC.
She mentioned she’s been to a “pro-choice rally” however wasn’t certain if it was Trump-related, and on her Facebook web page, “there’s a lot of things on there that I didn’t ask to be put on there,” like posts from Occupy Democrats.
Alex Woodward16 April 2024 16:14
