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Irishman among seven selected for Trump hush-money jury

The individual is originally from Ireland and said he watched both MSNBC and Fox News as search continues for ‘fair’ jurors

One of seven jurors selected for Donald Trump's criminal trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday is originally from Ireland. Photograph: Getty

Wed Apr 17 2024 - 00:06

One of seven jurors selected in the Donald Trump hush-money criminal trial is originally from Ireland.

Although little information on the jury is available, reports from New York simply say the unnamed individual enjoys doing “anything outdoorsy” and watches both MSNBC and Fox News.

Other jurors selected for the trial on Tuesday include a woman who works as an oncology nurse and enjoys taking her dog to the park, and a corporate lawyer who said he does not follow the news that closely.

They have formed part of the selection process to choose a panel of 12 members and six alternates who can be deemed fair to the former US president.

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The judge in the case has warned lawyers that he would not tolerate any efforts to intimidate prospective jurors after saying Trump, the Republican candidate for president in November’s election, was audibly muttering while one of the possible members of the panel was questioned.

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election. Ms Daniels says she had a sexual encounter with Trump about a decade beforehand.

Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies an encounter took place. He has called the case, brought by Democratic Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, a partisan “witch hunt” meant to interfere with his campaign to unseat Democratic president Joe Biden.

The hush money case is one of four criminal prosecutions Trump faces, which also stem from trying to overturn his 2020 loss and alleged mishandling of classified information. He has also pleaded not guilty to those charges, though the other three cases may not go to trial before the election.

During questioning by Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche earlier on Tuesday, the nurse said she did not have a strong opinion about Trump.

But, she said, “No one is above the law.”

Jury selection began on Monday, and is set to resume on Thursday after a day off on Wednesday.

The process so far has highlighted the challenges of choosing a group of impartial jurors from heavily Democratic Manhattan.

More than half the initial pool of 96 jurors called were dismissed on Monday after saying they did not believe they could be fair.

In questioning some who remained on Tuesday, Mr Blanche said he did not care about jurors’ politics but wanted to get a sense of whether they could be fair to Mr Trump as an individual.

“It’s extraordinarily important to president Trump that we know that we’re going to get a fair shake,” the attorney said. – Reuters

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