Donald Trump Lawyers Expose Potential Jurors' Social Media Posts
Source: Newsweek
Published Apr 16, 2024 at 2:51 PM EDT | Updated Apr 16, 2024 at 3:30 PM EDT
Lawyers for former President Donald Trump exposed social media posts from a potential juror on Tuesday. Trump appeared in Manhattan court on Tuesday for the second day of his criminal trial for alleged hush money payments made to former adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016.
The first two days have been focused on jury selection, after many were asked to complete a questionnaire with questions asking about their political beliefs. Matthew Russell Lee of the Inner City Press detailed a conversation on X, formerly Twitter, between Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, and New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case.
"Trump's lawyer Blanche: There are a number of the jurors that we have social media posts for very much contrary to what they said. We don't want to confront them openly," Russell Lee wrote on X. In another post, Russell Lee said that Blanche brought up a Facebook post from one potential juror.
"When the juror was asked for her opinion of President Trump, she said nothing. But when he lost the election, they celebrated on Facebook - they got in the car and spread the honking cheer." Newsweek reached out to Trump's spokesperson via email for comment.
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-lawyers-expose-potential-juror-social-media-posts-1890987
Bundbuster
(3,153 posts)jimfields33
(15,841 posts)bluestarone
(16,988 posts)Jurors should be UNKNOWN.
onenote
(42,715 posts)And, without question, both sides are looking into the background, including social media posts, of those prospective jurors. Please don't tell me you'd be happy if the prosecution couldn't check to see if a prospective juror is an unabashed Trump supporter.
Think. Again.
(8,200 posts)From the article:
"Matthew Russell Lee of the Inner City Press detailed a conversation on X, formerly Twitter, between Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, and New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case."
muriel_volestrangler
(101,322 posts)The conversation took place in the courtroom; the "detailing" on Twitter.
poli-junkie
(1,002 posts)to check a jurors social media? Arent they anonymous?
HappyCynic
(1,407 posts)Here's an article that should cast some light on the situation.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/judge-restricts-access-jurors-identities-trump-hush-money-trial-rcna142348
tornado34jh
(923 posts)For example, a lot of people don't know that many employers often look to social media not just for advertisements, but also to look at potential and current employees and what they do, what their views are. I agree, it seems threatening to the jurors, but the reality is, social media is not as private as you may think. You have to really watch yourself.
Miguelito Loveless
(4,465 posts)And it is going to prove a major headache for future job seekers and public officials.
tornado34jh
(923 posts)We know Trump will do anything to save himself, even if that means potentially killing jurors who don't agree with them. That being said, if social media posts were going to be issue, you would think they would have vetted that beforehand, especially in a very high-profile case. I have not been in jury duty, but I assume they ask potential jurors questions about stuff like this.
brooklynite
(94,624 posts)1. Social Media is public
2. Stuff on the internet is permanent
.you shouldnt be posting.
tornado34jh
(923 posts)I have seen it applied many times. That doesn't mean that it should be used for potential jury tampering/intimidation, especially when you are dealing with a wannabe dictator. Also, if that was going to be an issue, you would think the jurors would have been vetted before the trial.
brooklynite
(94,624 posts)Last edited Thu Apr 18, 2024, 09:56 AM - Edit history (1)
And its not Jury intimidation if you're not on the Jury yet (the article refers too "potential Jurors" .
Reverse the situation: if there was someone in the pool who had frequently posted that he loved Trump and would do anything to get him re-elected, would it be right to keep that out of the Voir Dire process?
nb: I believe I could be objective is hearing the evidence in the case. But I know that my comments in response to Trump's tweets would keep me from being selected.
onenote
(42,715 posts)onenote
(42,715 posts)and there is no indication that the juror's identity was publicly disclosed. The prosecution and the defense both know the identities of the jurors and I guarantee that the prosecution also is checking social media postings by the prospective jurors. I assume that folks here would be perfectly fine if the prosecution relied on what they saw in social media posts as the basis for objecting to a juror who clearly was a big Trump supporter. I know I would be.
bluestarone
(16,988 posts)I feel that there should be NO comments made on social media about these Jurors. If there IS a problem, THAT problem should be between the lawyers and the JUDGE, PERIOD! Why are his lawyers running to the press with this shit?
onenote
(42,715 posts)The Inner City Press has a reporter live tweeting what is going on in open court. He reported on the discussion regarding certain jurors' social media posts and Newsweek picked up the story and reported it. I haven't seen anything to suggest that either Newsweek or the Inner City Press was reporting information not otherwise known to those covering the trial. Again, the name of the juror wasn't disclosed.
bluestarone
(16,988 posts)onenote
(42,715 posts)Facebook was referenced because it was posts made by some of the prospective jurors on Facebook that were the topic of discussion between the judge and counsel.
bluestarone
(16,988 posts)Trusting anything TFG and his lawyers say is a non starter for me.
onenote
(42,715 posts)Novara
(5,844 posts)It makes sense that they would delve into the backgrounds of the people who will decide this case.
That said, I read that it was a lot of negative posts, posts making fun of, and downright Mean Tweets about Orange Foolius, and he HAD to sit there and listen to it all. That alone makes my heart all warm. I imagine him sitting there, seething with rage. I hope his rage kills him.