Donald Trump hush money trial: More than 50 of first 96 jurors dismissed after admitting they CANNOT be impartial in former president’s criminal trial

More than 50 of the first 96 potential jurors in the Donald Trump trial were excused Monday afternoon after admitting they could not be impartial in history’s first criminal trial against a former president.

The first group of Manhattan residents were brought to court and sworn in to see if they qualified for the panel that will decide the fate of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

As they entered, they strained to catch a glimpse of the high-profile defendant, and one woman appeared to giggle.

Selectmen will ultimately vote on whether the 77-year-old is guilty or not guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels to prevent her from discussing their alleged affair before the 2016 election .

Each charge, which he has vehemently denied, carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison, but if convicted, he could face a fine or probation as a first-time offender.

More than 500 potential jurors arrived at the court waiting to see if they are needed for the trial, which could last up to six weeks.

They are asked 42 questions — including which news networks they watch and whether they have supported QAnon — if they want to qualify.

Several of the potential jurors appeared to stare at Trump frequently as the judge introduced the case and read off a list of witnesses who could testify, including his wife Melania Trump.

But Merchan made it clear that not all of those on the list would take a stand.

A young female juror was excused when she said she had strong feelings about Trump as a presidential candidate.

The question she agreed to was: ‘Do you have any strong opinions or strong beliefs about former President Donald Trump, or the fact that he is a current presidential candidate, that would interfere with your ability to be a fair and impartial juror? ‘

Earlier, the woman had sparked laughter in court when she said her leisure activities included going ‘to the club’ and shopping.

Another was excused after admitting she couldn’t be impartial, saying “I just couldn’t do it” as she walked out.

Many would-be panelists sat in the back rows, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of Trump once in their seats.

A woman in the second row from the back right giggled and put her hand over her mouth, looking at the person sitting next to her with raised eyebrows.

There was no noticeable reaction from potential jurors when Merchan said the name of the case.

They were sworn in at 2:34 p.m

Judge Merchan told them the case was ‘The People of the State of New York versus Donald J Trump’.

‘The defendant is Mr. Donald Trump, sitting to my right,’ Judge Merchan said before introducing the lawyers for each side.

Addressing the jury, Judge Juan Merchan gave them a summary of the case.

He said: ‘The allegations are essentially that Donald Trump falsified business records to conceal an agreement with others to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election.

“Specifically, it is alleged that Donald Trump made or caused false business records to conceal the true nature of payments to (his former personal attorney) Michael Cohen, by characterizing them as payment for legal services rendered pursuant to a retainer agreement.”

‘The People alleges that the payments were actually intended to reimburse Michael Cohen for money he paid to Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, in the weeks before the presidential election to prevent her from publicly revealing details of a previous sexual encounter with Donald Trump’.

Judge Merchan added that Trump had pleaded not guilty.

After lunch, Trump seemed noticeably more alert and engaged than before the break.

He spoke animatedly with his attorney Todd Blanche, pointing his fingers as he spoke.

It is not clear whether the former president had read reports that he dozed off before lunch.

A visibly angry Judge Merchan gave Trump’s lawyers 24 hours to identify all their exhibits or they will be unable to use them at trial

The judge had asked Trump’s team to do this in February, but they have failed to do so, the court heard.

Blanche tried to argue that it was not possible to do so as Trump’s legal team would be in court all day.

But Judge Merchan shot back that they had filed three cases last Sunday within 30 minutes of each other.

His voice rising, the judge said: ‘Right now you are in breach of the order’ and set a deadline of 24 hours for them to comply.

Trump’s lawyers and the prosecution will get only one paper list of the first set of 96 potential jurors’ names, the judge said.

“This copy may not be photographed, duplicated in any way or form,” Judge Merchan said.

Once the 96 had been dealt with, the list had to be returned to the judge.

Trump judge blocks claims Melania was pregnant during ‘affair’ with Playboy model Karen McDougal

The judge in Donald Trump’s hush money trial has sensationally allowed prosecutors to introduce evidence of an alleged affair with Playboy model Karen McDougal, but not allege it happened while his wife Melania was pregnant with their son Barron.

Judge Merchan said prosecutors could bring evidence that Trump’s campaign coordinated with the National Enquirer to suppress the McDougal allegations before the 2016 election.

But he stopped short of letting them bring up salacious details of the alleged relationship in front of a jury.

The ruling set off a dramatic start to jury selection in the historic trial, as Judge Merchan would not say whether Trump could miss court next month to attend the 18-year-old Barron’s graduation.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told the court: ‘We intend to produce evidence Karen McDougal was a former Playboy model who claims to have had a romantic and sexual relationship with Trump, including while Trump’s wife Melania was pregnant with their child’.

He said they ‘do not intend to describe sexual acts or locations’ where it happened.

But the “fact that this happened while Melania was pregnant and after the birth of his son speaks directly to the extent to which the defendant believes the story could be damaging to his campaign,” Steinglass said.

Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche argued that ‘the only value is to embarrass President Trump’. He said the allegations were ‘vicious without merit’

Judge Merchan said the evidence should be allowed except to “bring up that the defendant’s wife was pregnant and that this continued and even after she had given birth”.

“At this point, the prejudicial value outweighs the probative value,” he said.

McDougal claims she had a ten-month affair and was in love with Trump between 2006 and 2007. She was then paid $150,000 to tell her story to the National Enquirer, but the interview was never published.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked the judge to allow evidence detailing the connections between Trump and McDougal and the fact that the former first lady was about to give birth at the time.

Steinglass said: ‘We intend to obtain evidence that Karen McDougal was a former Playboy model who claims to have had a romantic and sexual relationship with Trump, including while Trump’s wife Melania was pregnant with their child’.

Steinglass said the National Enquirer believed the story was ‘true’ after looking into it. But he said they ‘do not intend to describe sexual acts or locations’ where it happened.

But the “fact that this happened while Melania was pregnant and after the birth of his son speaks directly to the extent to which the defendant believes the story could be damaging to his campaign,” Steinglass said.

Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche says that the ‘only value is to embarrass’ his client.

He said there is ‘no scenario a jury will not take a negative view’ of Trump’s behavior and that it was ‘vicious without merit’

Merchan said the evidence should come in, apart from “bringing up that the defendant’s wife was pregnant and that this continued and even after she gave birth”

“At this point, the prejudicial value outweighs the probative value,” he said.