Lawyers on Jury Raise Eyebrows
The hush money trial of former President Donald Trump is underway, and the inclusion of two lawyers in the jury has raised eyebrows. Timothy Parlatore, Trump's former attorney, described the move as "very unusual" during an interview on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper."
Parlatore pointed out that the presence of lawyers on the jury could be advantageous or disadvantageous, depending on the specifics of the case. He expressed concern that a lawyer on the jury could hold considerable sway over the rest of the panel.
The jury selection process, which is moving faster than expected, is set to continue on Thursday. The trial requires a total of 12 jurors and at least six alternates.
Former President Trump is on trial for allegedly illegally concealing a hush money payment made to suppress an alleged affair ahead of the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty and denied the affair.
The trial, which began on April 15, has been drawing considerable attention, with the jury selection process and the social media accounts of prospective candidates taking center stage.
The trial is expected to last at least six weeks and has already sparked reactions from congressmen and talk show hosts.
On the first day of the trial, Trump argued that he was being politically prosecuted, a claim the judge did not accept.