The third day of the New York hush money trial against former President Donald Trump kicked off on Thursday with the dismissal of a juror who raised personal concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial, a moment that also sparked a journalistic ethics debate in court.
The woman, who was listed as Juror #2 out of a group of seven chosen on Tuesday, said she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial, adding that she was intimidated by the press. She also noted her friends, family, and colleagues questioned her identity as a juror.
“Aspects of my identity have already been out there in public. Yesterday alone, I had friends and family push things to me,” she told the court, according to CBS News. “I don’t think at this point that I can be fair and unbiased.”
The juror’s dismissal prompted presiding Justice Juan Merchan to warn journalists about reporting specific details regarding other jurors’ biographical information. Given the significant interest in the Trump case, as well as a litany of questions the prospective jurors must answer during the selection process, unique details about their personal lives surfaced in media reports about the first two days of trial proceedings.
But the judge’s warning has now prompted something of a journalistic ethics debate about how to portray the selection process in a trial in which the defendant has repeatedly suggested he cannot achieve a fair trial in the deeply-Democratic Manhattan borough. Interest in the now-dismissed juror was punctuated by a Fox News segment, in which host Jesse Waters said “I’m not so sure about Juror #2.”
Seven New York residents, including the woman who has since been dismissed, were selected on Tuesday to serve as jurors in the first criminal trial against a former president. They were part of an initial group of 96 potential jurors who were asked whether they could be impartial while deciding a case involving Trump, who is running a campaign for a second term in the White House.
With the dismissal of Juror #2, the total number of seated jurors goes back down to six. An additional six are needed, along with six alternates, before opening statements can begin.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass also raised his own concerns about Juror #4, a man who previously said he was fascinated and intrigued by Trump, arguing his description matches a man who was previously arrested for tearing down political signs.
Steinglass says that he isn’t sure if the description truly does match Juror #4 but said it merits an inquiry, according to reporter Adam Klasfeld.
In Merchan’s address to the media in the room, he suggested it was unnecessary for the reporters to write about details such as jurors’ accents and appearances, according to a New York Daily News reporter.
Problems with impartiality have been a pertinent concern for the former president, who on Wednesday railed about the process of jury selection moving too quickly and raised concerns about the limited number of strikes he has to dismiss a juror if his defense counsel feels they are impartial.
Prosecutors also opened the hearing Thursday by accusing Trump of violating the gag order seven additional times on top of three other violations they say he made earlier in the week.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Examples include his online posts to a New York Post report calling Michael Cohen a “serial perjurer,” and also a reposted statement from Fox News host Jesse Watters saying that liberal activists were attempting to get onto the jury.
Merchan has already scheduled a hearing on April 23 to weigh existing complaints by the prosecution against Trump for violating his gag order. Prosecutors seek to fine Trump $1,000 for each violation of the order.
