How jury selection will work in Donald Trump's first criminal trial

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NEW YORK — Donald Trump's criminal trial begins Monday with a simple but unusual procedural step critical to American democracy. Trump's peers – a group of regular citizens – will be chosen before the law to decide whether the former president of the United States is guilty of a crime.

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The jury selection process can take several days. Attorneys on both sides of the case will have limited ability to try and shape the panel in their favor, but the court's purpose is not to ensure that it is partisanly balanced between Democrats and Republicans, or to ensure that it is made up of people who don't know them. previous news about the trial.

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The idea is to get people who are willing to put aside their personal opinions and make decisions based on evidence and the law.

Here are some factors that influence jury selection:

Who can sit on the jury?

This jury is composed only of people who live in Manhattan, one of the five boroughs of New York City. All US citizens who speak English, are 18 years of age or older, and have not been convicted of a felony are eligible for jury duty in New York. Court officials identify potential jurors from lists of registered voters, taxpayers, driver's license holders, welfare recipients and other sources.

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The pool of potential jurors for Trump's trial is randomly selected. People can volunteer for jury duty, but they can't choose which court they serve on.

What if he doesn't want to serve on a jury?

Jury duty is mandatory, but you can waive it for a variety of reasons, including financial or medical hardship.

How is the jury selected?

Judge Juan M. Merchan begins by bringing a large group of potential jurors into his courtroom. He then summarizes the case and introduces the defendant, Trump, to the jury. The judge then asks potential jurors a critical question: Can they serve and be fair and impartial? Those who cannot raise their hands are asked. In this trial, jurors who demonstrate that they cannot serve or be fair are dismissed.

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The rest are invited in groups to the jury, where they are asked 42 questions, some of which consist of several parts.

Attorneys on each side have a limited number of strikes they can use to remove potential jurors they don't like without having to show cause. They can also argue that a particular juror should be removed, but the judge must agree to dismiss that person.

The process continues until 12 jurors and six alternates are selected. If necessary, larger groups of potential jurors can be brought into the courtroom.

What questions are asked to the jurors?

The judge does not allow attorneys to ask potential jurors whether they are Democrats or Republicans, have voted for them, or given money to any political cause. But there are many questions aimed at eliminating whether people are against or for Trump.

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Among them:

“Do you have any political, moral, intellectual, or religious beliefs or opinions that would prevent you from complying with the court's instructions as a matter of law or that would interfere with your approach to this case?”

“Did you, a relative, or a close friend work for or volunteer with the Trump presidential campaign, the Trump administration, or any other political organization associated with Mr. Trump?”

“Have you attended a Donald Trump rally or campaign event?”

“Do you currently follow Donald Trump on any social media sites or have you ever done so?”

“Have you, a relative, or a close friend ever worked for or volunteered with any anti-Trump group or organization?”

“Have you attended a rally or campaign event of any anti-Trump group or organization?”

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“Do you currently follow an anti-Trump group or organization on any social media site or have you ever done so?”

“Have you considered yourself a supporter of or belonged to any of the following: QAnon, Proud Boys, Oathkeepers, Three Percenters, Boogaloo Boys, Antifa.”

Judges are asked what podcasts and radio programs they listen to and where they get their news.

Does the public know who the jurors are?

The judge ordered jurors to remain anonymous, an unusual but unprecedented step in trials where jurors may face harassment or intimidation during or after the trial. There is nothing to prevent jurors from voluntarily speaking about their experiences after the trial is over. It is expected that they should not tell anyone about it.

What will this jury decide?

Jurors in that trial will hear testimony and decide whether Trump is guilty or not guilty of any of the 34 counts of falsifying business records. Their decision to convict or acquit must be unanimous. If they cannot agree on a verdict, the judge can declare a mistrial. If jurors doubt Trump's guilt, they should acquit him. If they convict him, the sentence will be decided by a judge, not a jury.

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