As the hush money criminal trial of former President Donald Trump continues, here are the key developments expected to unfold in court on Friday:
Jury Selection Process
There are 22 prospective jurors from the second panel who are yet to go through the questionnaire process. Judge Juan Merchan will start with them in an attempt to select five additional alternate jurors, although the number may be subject to change. Both Trump's attorneys and the district attorney's office will receive extra peremptory challenges for the alternate jurors.
Sandoval Hearing
If jury selection concludes swiftly on Friday, Judge Merchan plans to conduct a Sandoval hearing in the afternoon. This hearing will focus on determining what aspects of Trump's legal history can be used to challenge his credibility if he decides to testify. Prosecutors intend to question Trump about recent verdicts against him, such as the civil fraud trial and the E. Jean Carroll defamation case.
Additional Juror Panel
If a sufficient number of alternate jurors cannot be selected from the 22 prospective jurors, an additional panel of 96 jurors, sworn in on Thursday, will be called upon to serve as the final pool for the trial jury. This panel is likely to determine the composition of the jury for the Trump hush money trial.
Stay tuned for further updates as the trial progresses.
