Former President Donald Trump will be allowed to know the names of jurors at his upcoming New York hush-money criminal trial, while the public will not have access to this information. Manhattan Judge Juan Manuel Merchan ruled to keep the jury anonymous, with limited exceptions for Trump, his defense team, prosecutors, jury consultants, and legal staff.
Only Trump's lawyers and prosecutors will have access to the addresses of the jurors' homes and workplaces, with the risk of forfeiting this privilege if disclosed publicly. The ruling applies to both seated jurors and prospective jurors summoned to court but not selected.
The decision does not result in a fully anonymous jury, unlike Trump's recent federal civil trials. The trial, set to begin on March 25, involves allegations of falsifying internal records to conceal payments to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who paid Stormy Daniels during Trump's 2016 campaign.
Despite the protective measures, the courtroom will remain open to the public and press during jury selection and the trial. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records, a felony punishable by up to four years in prison, in what will be his first criminal case to go to trial.
The Manhattan district attorney's office requested the restrictions on juror names citing Trump's history of attacking jurors in previous proceedings. Prosecutors argued that limiting access to juror names was necessary to ensure a fair trial and protect juror safety.
Trump's lawyers supported keeping jurors' names private due to prejudicial media attention surrounding the case. They disputed the prosecution's claims of Trump attacking jurors by name in the past.
Prosecutors also sought a gag order to prevent Trump from making public statements about jurors, witnesses, and others involved in the case. Judge Merchan will rule on this request in due course.
