Donald Trump's legal team was expecting around just 40 percent of jurors to be dismissed from his New York hush money criminal case over the question of whether they can be impartial, but more than half of the 96 jurors were dismissed en masse due to their admitted inability to be unbiased.
While at least 50 of the potential jurors were let go over their inability to be impartial, others bowed out over potential conflicts.
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Speaking on CNN Monday, network legal analyst Elie Honig said that it's "remarkable" how many jurors have so far been excused.
"... More than half the people said right off the bat, knowing one paragraph of information about this case, 'I cannot be [unbiased],' and walked out the door — that's gotta be a world record," Honig said during a panel discussion.
"And I think it speaks to just how polarizing Donald Trump is," Honig continued, adding that the juror exits could also be due to "how scared people are."
"Will this qualify legally as a fair trial or fair jury? Yes, in all likelihood. But let's also be real about what we're talking about here — Manhattanites overwhelmingly dislike Trump politically and personally," Honig said, pointing out that things would be much different in a county where the population overwhelmingly supports Trump.
"So let's be real, it's a very tough jury pool for Donald Trump, but sometimes that's how it goes."
Watch the video below or at this link.
Eli Honig on CNN 4/15/24 youtu.be
