US judge rejects last-minute attempt to postpone Trump’s trial for hush money; opening remarks are scheduled for April 22

After a busy day in court, the last jurors in Donald Trump’s hush money trial were seated on Friday. An appeals judge also denied the former president’s most recent attempt to have the case halted. Opening remarks are scheduled to start on Monday.

After attorneys questioned scores of prospective jurors for days about their ability to fairly evaluate Trump in the city where he built his real estate business prior to his election in 2016, the group of New Yorkers who will determine the first criminal trial of a former US president took on its final form.

The trial puts President Trump’s legal issues front and center in his fiercely fought battle against Vice President Joe Biden. Trump’s rival will probably take advantage of uncomfortable and controversial evidence to claim that the presumed Republican candidate is unfit to serve as commander in chief once again.

Meanwhile, as he balances his roles as a criminal defendant and a presidential contender, Trump is exploiting the prosecution as a political rallying cry and portraying himself as a victim.

Judge Juan Merchan said that Monday morning’s opening comments from attorneys would come before the prosecution presents its case, which consists of a plot to conceal unfavorable information that Trump was afraid would damage his candidacy in 2016. He claims the reports were untrue and has entered a not guilty plea.

Hours after the jury was seated, a Trump lawyer appeared in an appeals court, alleging that Merchan hurried through the jury selection process and that Trump cannot get a fair trial in Manhattan, despite the many efforts to postpone the trial failing.

Attorney Clifford Robert said, “I would respectfully submit that it is untenable to think an impartial jury could be found in that period of time.”

Shortly after a short hearing, Justice Marsha Michael refused the motion.

Back in the trial court, Merchan voiced her annoyance at Trump’s attorneys’ persistent demands to review a long list of decisions made prior to trial.

“At some point, you need to accept the court’s rulings,” added Merchan. “There is nothing more to make clear. Nothing more needs to be argued. On Monday morning, we will have opening remarks. The trial is about to begin.

Emergency personnel were called to a park outside the courtroom where a guy had set himself on fire shortly after the jury was seated. According to authorities, the guy removed leaflets endorsing conspiracies and dispersed them over the park before dousing himself in flammable liquid and lighting himself on fire. On Friday afternoon, his condition was serious.

Throughout the week, Trump has remained silent in the courtroom as attorneys have questioned prospective jurors about their opinions of him in an effort to uncover any prejudice that may disqualify them from considering the case. He has attacked the case on social media and in front of TV cameras in the corridor during lulls in the proceedings, calling it a politically driven “witch hunt.”

He posted on social media on Friday, saying, “This Trial is a Long, Rigged, Endurance Contest, dealing with Nasty, Crooked People, who want to DESTROY OUR COUNTRY.”

Dozens of individuals were eliminated from the juror pool throughout the course of the five-day jury selection process because they didn’t think they could be impartial. Even while the court has decided that the identities of the jurors would only be known to prosecutors, Trump, and their legal teams, some voiced concern about having to determine such a significant case with excessive public attention.

After voicing concerns about messages she claimed to have received from friends and relatives after some portions of her identification became public, a woman who had been selected to serve on the jury was discharged on Thursday. When a prosecutor questioned a different lady on Friday about whether or not she could make a decision about the case based only on the facts that was provided in court, the woman started crying.

The lady said, “I feel so anxious and nervous right now.” “I really apologize. Someone who thinks this way about me judging my situation is not someone I would want. I do not want to occupy the time of the court.”

Trump seemed to lean over at the defense table, scribbling on some papers and exchanging notes with one of his attorneys as additional prospective jurors were questioned on Friday. Occasionally, he would perk up and look at the jury box, especially when a potential juror said that he had volunteered as part of a “get out the vote” operation for Hillary Clinton. Later, the guy received an apology.

Before Friday’s hearings began, Trump addressed media and criticized a gag order that prosecutors claim he disregarded. The prosecutors’ bid to punish Trump and hold him in contempt of court for social media statements that they claim go beyond the bounds of what he is allowed to say about possible witnesses is slated for arguments by Merchan for next week.

“The gag order has to be lifted. “I have a gag order, but people are free to talk about me,” Trump said.

On Friday, Merchan also heard arguments about the prosecution’s desire to bring up Trump’s past legal issues in the event that he testifies in the hush money case. Although Trump has said that he wants to testify, he is under no obligation to do so and is free to decide not to.

Prosecutors in Manhattan have said that they want to examine Trump over a number of matters, including his most recent civil fraud trial, which ended with a $454 million award after the court determined that Trump had been lying about his wealth for years. He’s going to challenge the decision. Merchan promised to make a decision in the next days.

The main focus of the trial is a $130,000 payment made by Michael Cohen, the former attorney for Donald Trump and his personal fixer, to porn star Stormy Daniels in order to keep her allegations of having a sexual encounter with him secret during the last few days of the 2016 election.

Cohen entered a guilty plea to federal charges in 2018 and is anticipated to serve as a prominent witness for the prosecution. According to the prosecution, Trump concealed the actual source of the payments in internal documents when his firm repaid Cohen.

Trump has denied ever having a physical relationship with Daniels, and his attorneys contend that the money paid to Cohen was a reasonable fee for legal representation.

34 criminal charges of falsifying company documents are brought against Trump. whether found guilty, he may get a sentence of up to four years in jail, however it’s unclear whether the court would decide to lock him up. Any conviction would most likely be appealed by Trump.

It’s unclear whether any of the four criminal matters in which Trump is embroiled will go to trial before November’s election. The other three cases accusing Trump of unlawfully holding confidential materials and of attempting to change the results of the 2020 election have been delayed due to appeals and legal fighting.