Opening arguments are set to begin in Donald Trump’s hush money trial after a dramatic jury selection process that included a prospective juror leaving in tears and others criticizing the ex-president. The trial will see a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates deciding if Trump illegally covered up a payment to a porn star before the 2016 election. Despite Trump’s presence at the defense table, he did not seem to be enjoying himself during the jury selection, at times appearing to doze off and remaining motionless.
The trial continued uninterrupted even after a man set himself on fire outside the courthouse. Trump was briefly told to sit down as court was still in session while the final jurors were selected. Some prospective jurors openly criticized Trump, citing concerns about enabling his base through his rhetoric and not being sure of his policies. One juror was dismissed for cause after bursting into tears during direct questioning by the prosecutor, Susan Hoffinger.
Trump vowed to testify at the trial where he pleads not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records. These charges stem from allegedly ordering his fixer, Michael Cohen, to pay off Stormy Daniels and then manipulating company files to cover it up. If convicted on all counts, Trump could face up to four years in prison. Despite labeling the case as a witch hunt, Trump indicated that he would take the stand and testify in his defense.
The trial is expected to last around six weeks with approximately twenty witnesses scheduled to testify. The first witness is set to testify on Monday morning following opening statements. Prosecutors have not disclosed the full list of witnesses, but both Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen are expected to testify against the former president. Trump’s attorney, Susan Necheles, stated publicly in court that the trial will proceed as scheduled with the first witnesses taking the stand on Monday morning.
