Judge Set To Make MASSIVE Ruling In Trump Case As Jury Is Finalized

The jury, including alternates, has been fully selected and sworn in for former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York City, with opening arguments scheduled for next week. Twelve jurors were finalized on Thursday after three days of selection. By Friday afternoon, six alternate jurors were also in place following additional questioning by prosecution and defense attorneys. The trial is set to proceed on Monday.

A decision from Judge Juan Merchan on whether Trump violated the gag order is expected early next week according to Fox News.

Judge Merchan had issued strict guidelines in Trump’s criminal trial, barring him from making or directing others to make public statements about witnesses, lawyers (except for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg), court or DA staff, and their families. Additionally, Trump is prohibited from commenting on any current or prospective jurors.

Former President Donald Trump smiles at the jury pool as he is introduced at the start of his hush money trial. (Jane Rosenberg/AP, Pool)

In the trial’s first week, DA Bragg claimed that Trump breached these conditions more than seven times. Bragg has requested the court to impose a $1,000 fine on Trump for these violations and has suggested that further breaches could lead to up to 30 days in jail. Trump’s legal team has countered, arguing that the gag order infringes on Trump’s First Amendment rights and those of his supporters. They contend that it should not apply to him.

“The whole world is watching this New York scandal,” Trump said earlier this week. “It is political and it is a shame—it is a shame.”

Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, is the first U.S. president to face a criminal trial.

Judge Juan M. Merchan presides over the first day of Trump’s trial. (Jane Rosenberg/AP, Pool)

During the selection process, potential jurors were questioned by Trump’s attorneys and prosecutors from the DA’s office. One potential juror was excused on Friday after revealing connections to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney. She disclosed that her father is a lifelong friend of Christie and she works at the same company as Cohen’s son, which led her to question her impartiality. Cohen is anticipated to serve as a witness against Trump during the trial.

The juror became emotional and began to cry as she expressed her feelings to the court. “I feel so nervous and anxious right now,” she said according to Fox.

She continued, “I don’t want to waste the court’s time,” and admitted her doubts about her capacity to serve impartially. “I thought I could do this. This is so much more stressful than I thought it was going to be.”

The judge summoned her to the bench for a brief conversation, after which she was excused from duty.

Trump watches as attorney Blanche speaks during jury selection Tuesday. (Jane Rosenberg/Reuters)

The trial is anticipated to last about two months and is still in the jury selection phase. The trial is not being televised; however, news reporters and producers are permitted in the courtroom to relay updates to the public. At the heart of the allegations are payments made to two women, Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, and Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model. Prosecutors say the payments were made to prevent the pair from speaking about their past affairs with Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, potentially influencing the election’s outcome.

The legal issues focus on whether these payments were campaign finance violations and other related crimes, including business record falsifications. Trump faces several felony charges, including falsification of business records. The indictment alleges these records were altered to cover up the payments’ true purpose, thus potentially affecting the presidential election. The trial also explores how these actions fit within U.S. election laws and the required transparency during campaigns. The prosecution contends that hiding these payments aimed to improperly sway the election by keeping crucial information from voters.

Key testimonies and extensive scrutiny of financial transactions and communications related to the payments have been pivotal. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer who arranged the payments, is among the high-profile witnesses.