'The trial centers on a $130,000 payment that Cohen made shortly before the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from becoming public in the race’s final days.

Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.

Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could get up to four years in prison if convicted, though it’s not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction.

Appeals and legal wrangling have caused delays in the other three cases charging Trump with plotting to overturn the 2020 election results and with illegally hoarding classified documents.

The jury selection process picked up momentum Tuesday with the selection of seven jurors. But on Thursday, Merchan revealed in court that one of the seven, a cancer nurse, had “conveyed that after sleeping on it overnight she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial in this case.”

And though jurors’ names are being kept confidential, the woman told the judge and the lawyers that she had doubts after she said aspects of her identity had been made public.

“Yesterday alone I had friends, colleagues and family push things to my phone regarding questioning my identity as a juror,” she said. “I don’t believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influences not affect my decision making in the courtroom.”

A second seated juror was dismissed after prosecutors raised concerns that he may not have been honest in answering a jury selection question by saying that he had never been accused or convicted of a crime.';

'The IT professional was summoned to court to answer questions after prosecutors said they found an article about a person with the same name who had been arrested in the 1990s for tearing down political posters pertaining to the political right in suburban Westchester County.

A prosecutor also disclosed that a relative of the man may have been involved in a deferred prosecution agreement in the 1990s with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is prosecuting Trump’s case.

Because the juror was questioned Thursday at the judge’s bench, off-microphone and out of earshot of reporters, it was not known whether the man confirmed or denied either instance was connected to him.

The process of picking a jury is a critical phase of any criminal trial but especially so when the defendant is a former president and the presumptive Republican nominee. Prospective jurors have been grilled on their social media posts, personal lives and political views as the lawyers and judge search for biases that would prevent them from being impartial.

Inside the court, there’s broad acknowledgment of the futility in trying to find jurors without knowledge of Trump. A prosecutor this week said that lawyers were not looking for people who had been “living under a rock for the past eight years.”

After dismissing from the jury the nurse who had already been selected, Merchan ordered journalists in court not to report prospective jurors’ answers to questions about their current and former employers.

“We just lost, probably, what probably would have been a very good juror for this case, and the first thing that she said was she was afraid and intimidated by the press, all the press, and everything that had happened,” Merchan said after dismissing the juror.

Prosecutors had asked that the employer inquiries be axed from the jury questionnaire. Defense lawyer Todd Blanche responded that “depriving us of the information because of what the press is doing isn’t the answer.”';

'The district attorney’s office on Monday sought a $3,000 fine for Trump for three Truth Social posts they said violated the order. Since then, prosecutors said he made seven additional posts that they believe violate the order.

Several of the posts involved an article that referred to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as a “serial perjurer,” and one from Wednesday repeated a claim by a Fox News host that liberal activists were lying to get on the jury, said prosecutor Christopher Conroy.

Trump lawyer Emil Bove said Cohen “has been attacking President Trump in public statements,” and Trump was just replying.

The judge had already scheduled a hearing for next week on the prosecution’s request for contempt sanctions over Trump’s posts.';

'>>1288351
There is something about the guy with the shifty eyebrows on the right in the painting, can't quite put my finger on it';

'>>1288356
Looks like Putin. Trump just can't stop conspiring with Russians.';

'After his latest comments leaving court. Trump is clearly unhinged.

What a whiney bastard';

'>>1288381
When he was whining how cold the court room was? You'd think the layer of fat he has would keep him warm.';

'>>1288392
He is the most persecuted man since Jesus Christ. Many people are saying it.';

'>>1288423
I wish Biden would take the piss out of Trump's whining by making fun of it more.
He started by mocking Trump for being poor, but should have added more of Trump's idoums.';

'>>1288447
Biden isn't very good at witty retorts. The dems don't have anyone who can effectively go after Trump and not sound like a whining harpy like AOC or an grouchy old man like Bernie or Biden. It's a big problem for public perception.';

'>>1288464
Trump's a whiny bitch, but the conservatively biased media keeps giving him a free pass.';

'A good defense lawyer would advise Trump, just give a wave on his way out and stay silent.

He's got to the point where he's just rambling to the media. It's embarrassing';

'On Trump Social. Apparently, Trump is fighting for complete Presidential Immunity, not just for himself, but for ALL President's.

He's actually fighting to HELP crooked Joe. What a GOOD GUY, Trump is.';

'>>1288495
If he wins the election, New York won't dare put him in prison, it's all about playing the victim and having the media push that narrative, which they happily are doing.';

'>>1288495
The lawyers don't give a shit about whether or not Trump wins election. He does.';

'He's going to be found guilty, but they'll give him a slap on the wrist fine.';

'>>1288601
It's funny because convicted felons can't vote in Florida';

'>>1288666
satan checked his ballot harvesting is peak comedy';

'So what records actually exist supporting the accusation that Trump ordered Cohen to pay Daniels, outside of Cohen's own personal statements saying that Trump told him to do it?';

'>>1288675
Follow the trial. Read the charging documents. All of this information is available to you, anon.';

'>>1288680
So you can't name anything?';

'>>1288682
Why would I need to name anything? I don't have this information for you. Google does.';

'>>1288684
I just find it interesting you argue in favor of his guilt yet can't name anything supports his guilt, outside of Cohen's verbal testimony where he says Trump told him to do it';

'>>1288685
Donald J. Trump';

'>>1288685
>I just find it interesting you argue in favor of his guilt
Where in the fuck did I argue in favor of his guilt? You asked where evidence is and I told you to follow the trial. Read the charging documents. You can read what the prosecution has alleged and go over their arguments as to what their alleged evidence is. Nowhere in this two post exchange did I say anything about Trump or his guilt. You're actually hallucinating right now. Get a fucking grip.';

'>>1288688
>still can't name anything
Jeeze anon there's no reason to cry';

'>>1288692
You're literally arguing with somebody in your own head, anon. There's nothing I can do to help you.';

'>>1288694
>still can't name anything
>keeps replying
Need the last word again, huh?';

'>>1288696
>"OH, SO YOU THINK HE'S GUILTY HUH?"
>"I never said that."
>"WHY CANT YOU NAME A REASON WHY HE'S GUILTY?"
>"I never argued that he's guilty"
>"HAHAHA LOL YOU ACTUALLY CANT NAME ANYTHING LMAO"

Seek psychiatric treatment.';

'>>1288702
I noticed this is a standard Republican 'debate' tactic where they create a strawman and then keep demanding more and more evidence to the point you can't produce it, and they'll then declare 'victory'';

'>>1288715
They are not interested in genuine, good faith discussion or trying to understand the other side's viewpoint.

They craft the conclusion first and then fabricate the narrative later. Arguing with them is pointless because they aren't interested in having their minds changed, they just want to feel "right."';

'>>1288715
What?';

'>>1288696
ESL motherfucker fails reading comprehension.';

'>>1288715
>i noticed this debate tactic where people expect me to substantiate my claims';

'>>1288702
>>1288715
>>1288716
>>1288722
>desperately needs the last word
>1 day later later still can't name a single piece of evidence

So again, it seems the only evidence is Cohen's personal verbal testimony. Neat.';

'>>1288737
Whatever you need to tell yourself to cope is fine.';

'>>1288736
Watch the trial, or do you expect all the evidence to be made public early so Trump can further engage in tampering since one jury already had to drop out because she was doxed?';

'>>1288736
>WHY WONT YOU SUBSTANTIATE THIS CLAIM THAT YOU NEVER MADE THAT I PULLED OUT OF MY ASS?????
Nice meme';

'>>1288737
Cohen recorded Trump making statements about the payments. That's entered into evidence. That and the "grab em by the pussy" tape which is somehow relevant to this case for some reason. Cohen's testimony isn't much, but I think it's all a NY jury needs to convict Trump.';

'Trump has lodged yet another appeal (The 12th) to stop the trial from going ahead on Monday.

He can't get a fair trial from the Jury that his legal team helped pick apparently.';

'>>1288984
His legal team ran out of strikes. When the jury pool is from Manhattan, there's only so much they can do.';

'>>1288984
>He can't get a fair trial from the Jury that his legal team helped pick apparently.
I actually sympathize with the defense on this issue. I was reading about the jurors they picked and one has a history of posting things on social media about how they hate trump, and he should be locked up and he's racist, sexist, misogynist, etc.. and she couldn't be removed because there were already at their limit of how many they could remove.

I do fully agree that, at bare minimum, the current juror pool seems less than impartial.

Maybe Manhattan isn't the place for it, but I have no doubt that if it were held in a less wealthy/ more middle class part of the state they would be able to find normal jurors that just plain don't really care about politics, which would allow for a much fairer trial';

'This week.

Trial starts.
Motion on if he's breached the gag order.
Motion about his illegal 175 million bond payment.';

'>>1289092
Hunter Biden caused this';

'>>1289092
Oh, and the immunity case is on Thursday';

'Prosecution can bring up Trump was found guilty of 500 million fraud case, sexual assault & defamation

He's fucked, lads';

'how this trial even a thing? this all all 'allegedly' happened from something Trump did BEFORE the 2016 election?! why NOW? and in New York? This is all CRAP';

'>>1290139
seriously
this is just proof the whole thing is all POLITICAL and just that';