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Donald Trump’s campaign has furiously denied rumours that the former president fell asleep during the first day of his historic criminal trial in New York.
At various points during proceedings on Monday, Mr Trump, who is making history once again as the first American president to ever stand trial on criminal charges, appeared to struggle to keep his eyes open, earning the nicknames “Sleepy Don” and “Don Snoreleone” – the latter a reference to the mafia kingpin Don Vito Corleone from the Godfather series.
The Republican has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in a bid to conceal a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election in order to silence her about an alleged affair in 2006.
The charges on their own are misdemeanours but have been elevated to felonies because Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg says they violated state and federal election laws.
Mr Trump denies the affair and has pleaded not guilty.
Jury selection in the trial began on Monday and continues on Tuesday, with 50 people excused so far after admitting they could not be fair or impartial to the defendant.
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The next juror is a grandmother and native New Yorker who lives on the Upper West Side. She has three adult children and two granddaughters. She gets her news from The New York Daily News and TikTok.
Next up another juror says: “After having more time and thinking about it and reading the questions, I don’t think I can be impartial.”
Trump meanwhile has been slouched in his chair with his jacket crumpled around him, sometimes closing his eyes and pulling his head back, or raising the questions to his face and tilting his head back to read them as jurors answer them.
The next juror is, you guessed it, another attorney. He’s originally from Oregon and lives in Chelsea.
Alex Woodward16 April 2024 15:40
Piers Morgan accuses Americans of ‘losing their minds’ over treatment of Donald Trump during hush money trial
The British pundit has accused Americans of “losing their minds” over the treatment of Donald Trump at his New York hush money trial.
“Have you lost your minds, America? What a demeaning way to treat a former president.” Morgan said during an appearance on Fox News.
“Secondly, if you’re on the left, why would you think this would possibly work? Why would you not think that what you’re doing here is going to almost guarantee Donald Trump wins the next election?”
Joe Sommerlad16 April 2024 15:40
The next prospective juror is a native New Yorker who works in Social Security administration as a lawyer. He’s married and his wife is a graphic designer. He enjoys hiking and gardening and gets his news from “mostly local news” outlets including “The Times occasionally.” He has lived on Riverside Drive for 14 years.
Immediately after that juror, the next person said, after giving it some thought, “I don’t think I can be impartial and unbiased.” She’s excused.
The next person says he needs to be at a wedding on June 6 as best man — but will do the questionnaire.
He’s an Upper East Side resident, a native New Yorker and an investment banker at KPMG for 7 years who lives with his fiancé, who works at a nonprofit. He gets news from Facebook, X, CNN, Google, WSJ and The New York Post and listens to sports podcasts.
He says the trial will likely be a “strain” on his work and personal life.
Alex Woodward16 April 2024 15:22
Jimmy Kimmel turns one of Trump’s biggest Biden insults against him after bizarre court moment
This was always going to be cat nip to the late night hosts.
Here’s Martha McHardy on Kimmel and “Doze-O the Clown”.
Joe Sommerlad16 April 2024 15:20
The next juror up is a resident of NoMad and has lived there for four years. Originally from Dallas, Texas.
He is a partner in a financial consulting firm, golfs and watches sports, serves on a professional board, works with Make-a-Wish, and has had a DUI.
One of his fraternity brothers is a Republican state lawmaker and he has friends in the legal field.
Asked whether he has “any political, moral, intellectual, or religious beliefs or opinions which might prevent you from following the Court’s instructions on the law or which might slant your approach to this case,” he said yes.
“Growing up a bunch of friends and family are Republicans it’s probably going to be tough to be impartial,” he says.
Judge Merchan told him that “we need an unequivocal assurance from you that you can be fair and impartial,” and asked him to approach the bench. After a moment, Merchan tells him “We appreciate your candour” and “We’re going to have to excuse you at this time.”
Alex Woodward16 April 2024 15:09
Judge continues with jury selection
No word on what happened to the Sandoval hearing, as Judge Juan Merchan moves ahead with jury selection.
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 15:02
Watch: Jon Stewart makes fun of Trump ‘sleeping’ during hush money court appearance
Here’s the inimitable Daily Show host on the defendant’s big nap yesterday.
Joe Sommerlad16 April 2024 15:00
The Supreme Court case that could give Jan 6 rioters – and Donald Trump – a break
Joseph Fischer, a former police officer from Pennsylvania, allegedly entered the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021, yelling “Charge!”, and rushing the police line.
Fischer, like thousands of other rioters that day, attended the “Stop the Steal” rally in support of former president Donald Trump who had spread false claims of election fraud.
Fischer was arrested and charged with several crimes for his actions on January 6. He is among 330 rioters, along with Mr Trump, charged with obstructing an official proceeding.
But Fischer disputes that charge, claiming it is being unfairly used to prosecute him. The white-collar law was enacted 20 years ago in the wake of the Enron financial scandal.
His case, at the hands of the Supreme Court, could call into question the sentencings and convictions against hundreds of rioters and potentially undermine the two federal charges against Mr Trump.
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 14:53
Proceedings started late today because the court is still waiting on a few jurors, Judge Merchan says.
Two of them were in the box yesterday so they’re expected back. One of them is experiencing flu-like symptoms, but came to court in a mask and asked to be excused. So she’s out.
Alex Woodward16 April 2024 14:51
Trump seated in court as day two gets underway
Alex Woodward reports from the New York Criminal Court:
Having made remarks outside the courtroom [in which he claimed that he was ‘paying a lawyer and marked it down as a legal expense], Donald Trump is now seated at the defence table. His attorneys are milling about talking and both Todd Blanche and Emil Bove have paused to whisper in the former president’s ear.
Attorney Susan Necheles is also at the Team Trump table. Necheles is resting her head on her hand while her elbow is on top of what looks like a mound of paperwork.
The court didn’t seem ready for yesterday’s summer-like weather, so it was uncomfortably warm in here all day. Now the AC is cranked. It’s freezing.
Proceedings will begin today with a Sandoval hearing to discuss the scope of what prosecutors can ask Trump about on cross-examination if he does testify.
Jury selection will then resume. About 100 prospective jurors were called into the court yesterday. Roughly half of them were excused outright. Only nine potential jurors went through the full survey. Another two were dismissed. So there are about 30-40 people still left to go from that batch.
Judge Juan Merchan is on the bench. People of New York v Donald Trump is back for day two.
Oliver O’Connell16 April 2024 14:48