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Seven jurors, three women and four men, were chosen Tuesday in Trump’s hush money trial in Manhattan.
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Trump gave reporters a preview of his possible defense as he entered the courtroom.
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The former president blamed “some accountant.”
Tuesday was day two of jury selection in Donald Trump’s hush-money trial in Manhattan, a full day that began with the former president previewing his possible defense to reporters: the hush-money payment used to be legal fees – as far as he knew.
And “some accountant” at the Trump Organization handled the paperwork for which he is now on trial.
“I paid a lawyer and recorded it as legal fees,” Trump said in the hallway outside the courtroom, responding to a question from a pool reporter.
“An accountant, who I didn’t know, classified it as legal fees,” Trump continued.
‘That’s exactly what it was. And are you being charged for that?’ he continued.
Trump tested his defense on a busy second day of the trial, although the Republican Party frontrunner appeared to struggle to stay awake, especially in the morning.
Seven jury members were selected: four men and three women.
A total of 89 potential jurors were interviewed but were dismissed because they could not be impartial, or were rejected by either side or by the judge.
This means that for every juror selected, 12 did not make the selection.
The defense withstood six of ten costly challenges in one day. Prosecutors have used up five warrants and have five remaining.
When court resumes Thursday, the sides will begin choosing the final five jurors and as many as six alternates from a new pool of 96 potential jurors.
The seven jurors chosen were told to return Monday for opening statements.
The Manhattan district attorney’s indictment alleges he falsified 34 Trump Organization corporate records — disguised as legal fees for his then-attorney Michael Cohen — to cover up an illegal scheme to disrupt the 2016 election.
The falsified records hid a $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, a porn star who was about to publicly claim that she and the then-Apprentice star had sex in 2006 — a claim Trump has denied.
Trump’s comments in the hallway suggest that his lawyers will argue at trial that he was in the dark about what prosecutors say are forged documents.
Also Tuesday morning, prosecutors made good on the previous day’s promise to demand that Trump be held in contempt of court for violating his silence order.
“Defendant willfully violated the Court’s order by publishing several social media posts attacking two known witnesses, Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels,” prosecutors wrote in a new motion.
The defense has until Friday to file a response explaining why Trump should not be held in contempt. Should Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan find Trump in contempt, possible penalties include fines and, in extreme cases, prison time.
No jurors were selected during Monday’s four-hour jury selection, a day that began with a half-day of arguments on preliminary motions.
All potential jurors are asked to answer questions on a jury questionnaire as Trump’s lawyers and prosecutor Alvin Bragg listen intently.
The questionnaire asks basic biographical questions: “what neighborhood do people live in?” and “what do you do for a living” among them.
It also asks potential jurors to say whether they have read books by Trump, whether they are supporters of QAnon or Antifa, and whether they have “strong opinions or held beliefs about former President Donald Trump.”
This story has been updated with developments throughout the day on Tuesday.
Read the original article on Business Insider
