UPDATE:A 12-person jury has been selected forDonald Trumps hush money trial.
Jury selection is not over, as the process now moves to selecting alternates.
One was selected later in the day today, with as many as five more to go.
Donald Trump and his attorneys in court on Thursday.Photo by Jabin Botsford-Pool/Getty Images
And even as the additional jurors were sworn in this afternoon, issues can still be raised.
Earlier today, two of the seven jurors who already had been sworn in were excused from the case.
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Trump himself continued to blast the case.
Im sitting here for days now, from morning til night in that freezing room.
Freezing, he told reporters.
Trumps team waged numerous objections throughout the day to potential jurors.
One older white woman had posted on social media that Trump was a racist, sexist and narcissist.
This is not a person who could be fair, Trumps attorney said.
Merchan excused her for cause, saying he wanted to error on the side of caution.
I dont think we need to take a chance with this juror, Merchan said.
Trump watched as some prospective jurors criticized him.
He seems very selfish and self serving, said one woman.
I dont really appreciate that from any public servant.
She said that how he portrays himself in public was not my cup of tea.
The woman, though, was seated on the jury.
But Joshua Steinglass, the assistant district attorney, refused.
Mr. Trump has been tweeting about the witnesses, Steinglass said, per a pool report.
Were not telling them who the witnesses are.
Blanche offered to commit to the court and the People that President Trump will not Truth about any witnesses.
I dont think you’ve got the option to make that representation, the judge said.
Blanche then offered another idea: give the witness names to the lawyers but not share them with Trump.
Prosecutors had raised concerns about the jurors prior arrest.
The juror was excused after the judge huddled with attorneys on both sides.
She then said that she did not think that she could be fair and impartial.
Merchan has restricted the names of the jurors as they are questioned in open court.
Some major media outlets have identified jurors employers, but The Washington Post later removed the information.
The excusal of the juror means that six so far are seated in the case.
Jury selection is continuing today, with an additional six needed along with alternates.
The judge on Tuesday warned Trumps attorneys, I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom.
That followed Trumps audible muttering as a prospective juror was being questioned.
The judge has said that he expects opening statements on Monday.
