The judge kept the former president on a tight leash when jurors were in the courtroom.

As the various criminal proceedings against Donald Trump have traveled at times tortuous routes in recent years, a frequent refrain has been that he is escaping consequences for some of his most serious alleged misconduct. But this week he finally faced the start of a criminal trial, in the New York courtroom of Judge Juan Merchan. And as proceedings turn to opening statements Monday, what we have seen so far suggests that the artful dodger of accountability may have finally met his match.

In Merchan’s courtroom, our country’s bedrock principle that no one is above the law is flourishing. In this first week of proceedings, the jury selection process proved resilient and, despite challenges, moved much faster than many thought.

Merchan has so far managed this trial just as judges all over the country run their criminal courts each day.

  • themeatbridge
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    2 months ago

    Translation: Trump has not yet been able to derail the latest attempt to hold him accountable for his actions, and has been forced to endure the most basic levels of decorum in a courtroom setting, like not directly threatening jurors.

    • @firebyte
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      322 months ago

      Or remaining seated whilst the judge leaves the court.

  • Funderpants
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    502 months ago

    One of the jurors gets all their news from Twitter and truth social. If this jury comes back anything but hung, I’ll be shocked.

    • @lewdian69
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      202 months ago

      Where did you see that information? Genuinely curious cause I love losing all hope again and again.

        • @[email protected]
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          2 months ago

          🫡 Thanks for the source.

          I wonder why the prosecution didn’t use a peremptory dismissal on that juror.

          • Funderpants
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            On legal breakdown they mentioned that the lawyers may have been satisfied based on other answers. They don’t think it’s a win, just hopeful this is the case.

            To me, it should be disqualifying to get your news from the defendents organization.

            • Chainweasel
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              22 months ago

              There’s 6 alternate jurors too, the second they show any kind of MAGA bias or proof they can’t be impartial they’ll pull them and replace them with one of the alternates.

          • DontMakeMoreBabies
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            12 months ago

            Jury selection is black magic, gut instinct, and random chance. Someone read their questionnaires/listened to the answers and told themselves a story that ended with ‘better not preempt.’

            Outside of those big money private firms paying money for body language experts, voir dire is a crap shoot where you’re just hoping to get rid of the nut jobs.

      • @[email protected]
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        92 months ago

        I saw a matrix posted recently showing each juror number and what new sources they primarily use. I’m too lazy to look it up, but I believe that is public information.

        Perhaps another user who is less lazy can find it.

    • DontMakeMoreBabies
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      182 months ago

      “I’m like really fucking stupid, basically retarded, but sure I can be fair and impartial.”

      If you’re out of preempts, there’s juror number 11.

      JUSTICE.

    • @0110010001100010
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      132 months ago

      Which, of course, is in Trumps best interest. A mistrial may cause it to go back through the court (delays) or may cause the case to be dropped. Regardless, the judge is unlikely to have much say once the jury is deliberating.

      So yeah, I’m not getting my hopes up.

    • @aseriesoftubes
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      82 months ago

      I’d be interested in seeing a source for the Truth Social claim. The New York Times article about the jurors doesn’t mention that at all. It seems like it would be a rather noteworthy thing if a juror got their news from a source owned by the defendant.

  • @xantoxis
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    362 months ago

    “Met his match”? Trump meets his match every time he encounters an 8-year-old boy with emotional control issues. He only gets away with shit because he’s a useful pawn.

  • @[email protected]
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    322 months ago

    I cannot imagine what this guy and his family are going through right now. I wish them all the best…it’s got to be stressful given what we’ve heard about some of the (potential) jurors already.

  • @eran_morad
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    92 months ago

    Merchan deserves no such indignity.

    • FenrirIII
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      92 months ago

      Never.

      Why?

      This… is… America! [kicks a homeless vet down a hole]

    • @Reddfugee42
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      22 months ago

      I can hear Capone and Gotti laughing and saying the same thing.