- It took three days to seat the jury for the Trump Organization criminal tax fraud trial in Manhattan.
- The mostly male, mostly minority jury has 2 men the defense tried to boot for their views on Trump.
Donald Trump's company is about to be tried on tax-fraud charges before a jury that is mostly minority, mostly male, and that includes two men who the defense tried — and failed — to challenge due to their stated qualms about the former president.
Opening statements are set for Monday in the criminal trial, for which the defendant is not Trump himself, but his $3 billion real-estate and golf-resort empire, charged with a 15-year scheme to dodge payroll taxes by giving executives such untaxed, off-the-books compensation as rent-free apartments and luxury cars.
Sitting in judgment of the Trump Organization, of which all of the leadership is white and male, will be four women — just one of them white. Of the eight men chosen, just two are white; another is a native of Honduras.
Just one or two, at best. could be described as white collar.
In a brisk jury selection held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday in state Supreme Court in Manhattan, nearly all of those chosen said they have some opinion about the former president.
They include a trio who openly dislike the former president, but who were seated anyway after repeatedly promising to be fair and impartial.
The defense simply did not have enough challenges to chase off the large number of Manhattan residents in the jury pool — well over half — who, when asked, expressed negative opinions of Trump.
And while Trump is not on trial and won't be in court, his presence was likened by one prosecutor to "the elephant not in the room."
Any trial about the guilt or innocence of the Trump Organization will hinge on proving the actions, or inactions, of the man at the top of the company — and on whether his immediate underlings took 15 years of luxury cars and free apartments all on their own or without his say so.
Six alternate jurors remain to be chosen.
Here is the jury:
Juror 1: The forewoman is a grandmother from Inwood who works for the city's public hospital system. "I like to meditate," she said of her hobbies. She does not read the news, and said she had no strong opinion about Trump.
Juror 2: Unemployed, he lives with his mother in the Washington Heights neighborhood. He watches Spanish news stations, and had no strong opinion of the former president, though he did say, "Donald Trump is just a very small part of a very large problem."
Juror 3: An East Harlem retiree, she is married, has adult children, and likes to crochet. "Of course, President Trump was the president of the United States," she said in court. "And of course, when something happened in this country … I would be upset about things. But I don't see how that applies to this particular case. I've had feelings in the past. But I will do my best. I will follow the instructions."
Juror 4: A Washington Heights resident, native of Honduras, and married dad of two adult children, he is a paraprofessional. He said he has no opinion about Trump or his company.
Juror 5: A Hell's Kitchen resident, she is a self-employed book editor for 25 years, including for medical texts. She joked that as hobbies, she reads and writes fiction "that no one will ever, ever read." On Trump, she said, "I didn't vote for him. And I would have gone for some different Supreme Court justices" than the three he picked.
Juror 6: A retired employee of the city Human Resources Administration, he lives in Washington Heights, and is interested in "civil justice" and "environmental advocacy. For news, "I go to the internet and find the news that broadcast and cable companies won't show you," including stories about "income disparity."
Juror 7: A retiree from Harlem, his hobbies are music and "anything outdoors." Asked if he had any issues with the idea of paying taxes, he said. "I've been paying taxes for 65 years." Of Trump, he said, "I really don't have any feelings about him. Not like that."
Juror 8: A Murray Hill resident with a "retail" job at a discount chain store. Of Trump, he said, "Honestly, I used to think he was funny before he was president. Then he started acting a little crazy and narcissistic … That's really it. That's the only reason I didn't like him as a president, not so much policy."
Juror 9: He spends his spare time reading, gaming, and enjoying music. He only watches the news for the weather and traffic reports. Of Trump, he said, "Yes, I have opinions, but yes I can be impartial." He did not detail his opinions.
Juror 10: A custodian for Macy's, he said he had strong opinions concerning Trump, but could be fair. "I'm neutral with him," he said. "I understand he was president. He had issues, whatever. But … I'm not going to cloud my judgment. I just try to treat it fair at all levels. I struggled with that last night," he added. "Then I said, 'let me see the evidence before I have an opinion.'"
Juror 11: A Midtown father of three, he said, "I do porter work" for a real estate management company. He said he has no strong opinion about Trump or his company. "I mean, I believe everybody has an opinion about him, but I don't really follow."
Juror 12: A native of France, he works as a portfolio manager and has lived in New York for 11 years. He said he has no strong opinions about Trump or his company.