(Fox News) Twelve jurors have been selected and sworn in to serve on the jury for former President Trump’s historic and unprecedented first criminal trial.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has been charged by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges are related to alleged hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all counts. He has blasted the trial as pure politics, a “political persecution” and maintains his innocence. The former president is expected to testify during his trial.
A court sketch depicts the second day of former President Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Jury selection for the alleged hush money case remains ongoing. (Christine Cornell)
By the end of jury selection on Thursday, the third day of jury selection, 12 jurors had been selected and sworn in. The jury pool so far includes four men and three women, all living in New York City. Their professions included work in law, finance, technology and more.
“We have our jury,” Judge Juan Merchan said when the 12th juror was picked Thursday afternoon. “Let’s pick our alternates.”
Merchan dismissed the remaining prospective jurors and asked that they return to court Friday so that alternate jurors could be selected.
Former President Trump awaits the start of proceedings on the second day of jury selection at Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, Pool)
Here is a look at each of the jurors so far.
Juror #1 and the foreperson
Juror #1 lives in New York City. He has no children and enjoys doing anything outdoorsy. He gets his news from the New York Times, Daily Mail, Fox News and MSNBC.
When asked by Trump defense attorney Todd Blanche if he was aware Trump is charged in other cases and jurisdictions, and how that affects him, the man said, “I don’t have an opinion.”
Juror #2
Juror #2 is a man who said he follows Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen on “X,” formerly known as Twitter, as well as other “right wing” accounts, including former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway.
The reason, he said, he follows those figures was so he could be plugged in to “anything that might move the markets I might need to know about.”
When asked if he would unfollow Cohen, as he may be a witness in the trial, the man said: “absolutely.”
The man also said he has “not seen any evidence” relating to the case.
“I will try to keep an open mind,” he said.
Responding to questions from Trump lawyer Susan Necheles about his feelings about the former president, the man said that Trump has done some good for the country.
“It’s ambivalent,” he said. “It goes both ways.”
The first person who was labeled juror #2 was excused Thursday morning after saying she could not be a fair juror.
Juror #3
Juror #3 is a young to middle-aged man who lives in Manhattan. The man said he grew up in Oregon and has been an attorney for five years practicing corporate law. The man said he enjoys hiking and running, and gets his news from The New York Times and Google.
Juror #4
Juror #4 is originally from California, but has lived in New York City for 15 years. The man said he has been a security engineer for 25 years and holds a high school diploma, with some college education.
The man is married with three children. His wife is a teacher.
During his spare time, he enjoys being with his children, woodworking, and metal working.
The man said he has served on a jury before — on both a grand jury and a jury in a criminal trial.
