Two of the seven jurors who had already been seated in Donald J. Trump's criminal trial were excused before lunch.
'The precise reason for the dismissal of one juror was not immediately clear, but prosecutors had raised concerns about the credibility of answers he gave to questions about himself. Asked outside the courthouse whether he believed he should have been dismissed, the man, who declined to give his name, replied: “Nope.”
His removal, shortly before the lunch break, followed the dismissal of another juror who said she had developed concerns about her identity becoming public.
Although the judge overseeing the case, Juan M. Merchan, has kept prospective jurors’ names private, some have disclosed their employers and other identifying information in court. After excusing the woman at the start of the morning session, Justice Merchan instructed journalists to stop reporting on prospective jurors’ employers.
“I have the legal authority to do it,” the judge said of blocking the news media from reporting the information. Lawyers for news outlets, including The New York Times, were expected to question the order.'>
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/04/18/nyregion/trump-hush-money-trial
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