A seven-page juror questionnaire was released by the judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s upcoming criminal trial in Manhattan.
Judge Juan Merchan released a questionnaire on Monday, consisting of 42 questions he will ask jurors as part of the process of selecting the jury for the trial, according to ABC News. The trial, which begins on April 15, centers around alleged hush-money payments Trump made to adult entertainment star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election.
Also new: Justice Merchan released his juror questionnaire today, along with procedures for selecting the New Yorkers who will judge the former president.
— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) April 8, 2024
It's 42 questions, including about *15 questions* specifically about Donald Trump ... and more that relate to allies/enemies pic.twitter.com/uA13QXCr8J
In one question on the questionnaire, jurors are asked which “print publications, cable and/or network programs, or online media” they read or have watched. Answers to the questions include the New York Times, USA Today, Huffington Post, Facebook, New York Post, Fox News, or Newsmax.
Another question asks if jurors, or a relative or close friend, have “ever worked or volunteered for a Trump presidential campaign, the Trump presidential administration, or any other political entity affiliated with Mr. Trump.”
“Have you ever attended a rally or campaign event for Donald Trump?” another question asks.
Judge Juan Merchan, far right, addresses former President Donald Trump, far left, regarding his rights and requirements, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in a Manhattan courtroom in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)
Other questions ask if any of the jurors have followed, or are currently following, Trump on social media, and if they have “feelings or opinions about how Mr. Trump is being treated in this case.”
Jurors are also asked who their current employer is, how big their current employer is, if they are married or have children, and what their “interests or hobbies” are.
The release of the questionnaire comes as Trump demanded a new judge days before the trial was set to commence, with his lawyers arguing that it was a conflict of interest for Merchan to oversee the trial due to his daughter being a Democratic political consultant.
Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records to the first degree by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg a year ago.
