In a historic moment for the American justice system, the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president, Donald J. Trump, is set to commence on April 15. The trial, which centers around allegations of "hush money" payments, will see potential jurors face an unprecedented questionnaire probing their political biases, media consumption habits, and views on Trump himself.
Trump, the presumptive nominee for this year’s Republican ticket, has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The charges stem from alleged efforts to conceal a payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, a move prosecutors claim was intended to influence the 2016 presidential election.
The trial will unfold in a Manhattan courtroom, where more than 500 potential jurors have been summoned. The selection process is expected to be arduous, with both prosecutors and Trump's lawyers seeking to identify a panel of 12 jurors and a few alternates who can set aside their opinions about one of the world's most famous and divisive figures.
The jury selection process will involve a 42-question questionnaire, covering topics ranging from potential jurors' political affiliations to their media consumption habits. Questions include whether potential jurors have ever considered themselves supporters of or belonged to groups such as the QAnon movement, Proud Boys, Oathkeepers, Three Percenters, Boogaloo Boys, or Antifa.
The trial will also be a test for the American justice system, as it grapples with a defendant who has used his enormous prominence to assail the judge, the district attorney, some witnesses, and the allegations. Trump has accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of pursuing the case for political gain, a claim he and his lawyers will not be allowed to make during the trial.
Trump's lawyers have argued that he can't get a fair jury in New York County, which is Manhattan, due to the jury pool's alleged bias against him. They have filed a petition to delay the trial so the venue could be moved to a different county, a request that has been denied.
The trial, expected to last six weeks, is the first of four criminal trials Trump will potentially face and potentially the only one before the 2024 election. As such, the trial's outcome could significantly impact Trump's political future and the American political landscape as a whole.
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