President Trump's lawyer says prosecutors question jurors' ability to judge case fairly: 'I have an opinion'
The process of reducing the hundreds of jurors in the hush-money trial against former President Donald Trump to just 12 continued late Thursday afternoon.
Judge Juan Melchan excused two jurors the same day, reducing the number of sworn jurors from seven to five.
Mr. Trump's lawyers and lawyers from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office continued questioning 18 prospective jurors Thursday.
Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass asked the 18 people in the jury box if anyone felt prosecutors had to prove more than what was required by law because the defendant was Donald Trump. he asked. One man replied, “I can be objective.'' Another said the beyond a reasonable doubt standard could be applied to any defendant.
A lawyer who previously clerked for a federal judge told the court he was concerned that Trump would not be able to put aside his prior knowledge and thoughts about the case.
“I thought about this during lunch. The fact that I spent a year arguing this case with federal judges and law clerks makes me worry that I know too much,” she said. Told. “I don't know if I can put that aside. I'm worried that it's going to seep in somehow.”
Asked by Steinglass if she felt she could not let go of her prior knowledge of the case, she said, “Frankly, yes.”
A woman whose son works for a Democratic congressman told the court her son's employment does not affect her fair and impartial status.
When asked by Trump's attorney Susan Necheres about her feelings toward Trump, the woman replied: I'm a registered Democrat. But I don't have any feelings for him. ”
A man who said he follows former President Trump lawyer Michael Cohen on Twitter, as well as others including former President Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, does so because of his work in the financial industry. he said.
“Anything that might move the market, I might need to know,” he said.
In response to a question from Trump's lawyer Susan Necheres about his feelings toward the former president, the man said Trump has done some good for the country. “It's ambivalent. It goes both ways,” he said.
FOX News' Maria Palonic contributed to this report.