April 15, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Former President Donald Trump walks out of the courtroom following the first day of jury selection at the Manhattan criminal court in New York, NY on Monday, April 15, 2024. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of an alleged scheme to silence claims of extramarital sexual encounters during his 2016 presidential campaign. Mandatory Credit: Jabin Botsford/Pool via USA TODAY NETWORK
News: Trump Hush Money trial begins
(New York, NY) — Former President Trump says the judge in his hush money trial won’t excuse him to attend his son Barron’s high school graduation next month. Trump told reporters that Judge Juan Merchan also told him he would not be excused from court to attend next Thursday’s Supreme Court argument over his immunity claims. Judge Merchan says he will wait to decide on Trump’s request to go to the Barron’s graduation until it gets closer. Barron Trump graduates from Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach on May 17th.
Trump will be back in the Lower Manhattan courthouse today, as jury selection continues. At least 50 prospective jurors were dismissed on Monday, after some admitted they could not be impartial. The jury will be made up of New Yorkers who live in Manhattan. They have to be at least 18 years old and have never been convicted of a felony. The jury pool is chosen at random.
The former President again said yesterday he doesn’t think he’ll get a fair trial and called the case political persecution. Trump previously pleaded not guilty to felony charges of accusations of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made prior to the 2016 election. The trial is expected to last around eight weeks. Security is extra tight outside the courthouse at 100 Centre Street. The Secret Service will work with the NYPD to clear streets in the area as the former President arrives and departs each day.
