Jury Selection Begins in Donald Trump’s Historic New York Criminal Trial

The first criminal trial of a former president in U.S. history officially got underway Monday in a crowded Manhattan courtroom, where prosecutors and defense attorneys began the arduous task of seating a 12-person jury in the case of The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump.

Flanked by his attorneys in room 1530 of the Manhattan Criminal Court, Trump was seated at a table where countless defendants before him have appeared. Monday’s proceedings started with lawyers for both sides arguing over several aspects of the case, including what evidence should be admissible and what questions should be asked of potential jurors.

The first 96 out of several hundred New York residents who make up the jury pool were sworn in just after 2 p.m., formally marking the beginning of the historic trial. More than half were quickly dismissed after they said they could not be fair and impartial. A handful of others said they could not serve for reasons that were not disclosed. Others were excused based on their answers to a questionnaire.

Read the source article at CBS News