Former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker raised concerns about the jury selection process in former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York City over alleged attempts to conceal payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Speaking on Newsmax on Wednesday, Whitaker questioned if there might be “sleeper cells” among potential jurors who could be biased against Trump.
Matthew Whitaker (Credits: Fox News)
He noted that while seven jurors had been seated, including an attorney and a civil litigator, having lawyers on the jury could be helpful as they may provide valuable analysis to their fellow jurors.
However, Whitaker also expressed concern that over 50 potential jurors had been excused after admitting bias against Trump, suggesting that some jurors might attempt to conceal their bias to get seated on the jury.
Whitaker emphasized the importance of further due diligence and investigation into the selected jurors, even after the jury is seated.
Matthew Whitaker (Credits: GQ)
He anticipated that Trump’s legal team would continue to learn more about the jurors and suggested that having six alternates would be important, as some jurors might be removed during the trial.
Whitaker highlighted the difficulties of the jury selection process and the potential challenges ahead for both the prosecution and the defense in ensuring a fair trial.
