Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York began on Monday morning local time in a historic first trial for a former US president – and a seismic shift in an already explosive 2024 election in which the Republican seeks to defy multiple scandals and return to power.
Trump has repeatedly described the secret money case as a false accusation.
The reality, however, turned out to be cruel for the 77-year-old staunch Republican, as Judge Juan Mershan issued a routine warning to the accused that he would have to appear in a Manhattan courtroom every day – or face arrest.
Mershan also warned Trump not to repeat his frequent attempts in the past to disrupt hearings with inflammatory social media posts and outbursts in the courtroom.
The judge scheduled a hearing next week to consider whether Trump should already be held in contempt of court for violating a partial restraining order barring him from attacking individuals connected to the case.
Selecting the 12 jurors – under the guise of anonymity to protect them from what the judge says is a risk of bribery or even physical harm – is expected to be a painstaking process.
Of the first group of 96 potential jurors sworn in, at least 50 were quickly thrown out after saying they could not be fair and impartial in a case involving one of the most famous – and controversial – men in the world.
Nine more were allowed to leave after stating there were compelling reasons they could not serve the trial, while the remaining potential jurors were left out because of their education, hobbies and news consumption.
The process, which will continue on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. CET, could take as long as two weeks, according to one of Trump’s lawyers.
Mershan also indicated opposition to allowing Trump to be out of court next Thursday, when the Supreme Court will hear his claims of presidential immunity in another, unrelated case.
“It’s a fraud. It’s a political witch hunt. We have a real problem with this judge,” Trump said as he left court on Monday.
The Republican presidential candidate has been accused of falsifying business records to cover up an alleged extramarital sexual encounter with porn star Stormi Daniels to protect his first 2016 campaign from a last-minute turnaround.
He faces three more criminal cases centered on his hoarding of top-secret documents after leaving office, and his unprecedented efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to President Joseph Biden.
All morning Monday, lawyers for both sides in the proceedings argued about admissible evidence.
Trump, shoulders hunched, sternly staring straight ahead or looking at a computer next to his legal team. According to a New York Times reporter sitting near Trump, he sometimes appeared to be dozing with his head down.
A judge has ruled that prosecutors should not be allowed to impersonate the jury in the infamous tape that rocked Trump’s 2016 campaign in which he can be heard boasting that famous men can “grab” women by the genitals because “they’re the ones who allow it,” reports AFP.
