A juror has been acquitted in Donald Trump's criminal trial , after saying that she felt threatened because she was publicly recognized, the judge in the case reported, quoted by Reuters, BTA writes.
Addressing the court, the juror said that her family, friends and colleagues had contacted her after telling her that they had recognized from press reports that she was a member of the trial jury.
"I do not believe at this stage that I can be fair and impartial and that I will not allow outside influences to influence my decisions in the courtroom," said the woman, who was one of seven jurors selected earlier this week.
Now six jurors remain after Judge Juan Mercan released her.
The judge's decision drew attention to the extraordinary pressure surrounding the first criminal trial in history against an American president, notes Reuters.
Trump criticized the witnesses, court officials involved in the case and their relatives, prompting Merchan to impose a partial ban on him.
Prosecutor Christopher Conroy said Trump violated the ban with his recent posts about his former lawyer and potential prosecution witness, Michael Cohen, in an April 17 post that said liberal undercover activists lied to the judge to try to get into the jury.
Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, is a controversial figure in American politics, and many of the people sought to serve as jurors have said they could not judge his guilt or innocence.< /p>
Attorneys today will continue to seek jurors to decide Trump's fate in the trial, which takes place just months before his upcoming election race with Democratic President Joe Biden.
The court is tasked with finding a New Yorker who will impartially judge the Republican presidential candidate's actions in heavily Democratic Manhattan, where the businessman-turned-politician made his name as a real estate mogul decades ago.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of allegedly falsifying financial documents that he used to cover up hush payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels.
The case for the money paid started on Monday. Jurors selected include a nurse, a software engineer and two corporate lawyers.
The judge said the identities of the 12 jurors and their six alternates would remain secret except for Trump, his lawyers and prosecutors.
Opening arguments could be held Monday if the jury is empaneled this week.
A conviction would not bar Trump from a possible second term, but half of independent voters and one in four Republicans said they would not vote for him if he were convicted, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. which ended on April 8.