During his appearance in court on Monday, April, former U.S President Donald Trump reportedly fell asleep during proceedings for his hush-money case, the first of his three criminal trials.
As attorneys engaged in legal arguments, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, who was live-blogging the event, claimed on CNN that Trump appeared to be dozing off. She noted that his head kept drooping and his jaw seemed to slacken several times, a claim corroborated by other reporters. However, prior to entering court, Trump was described as alert and animated while speaking to reporters. He denounced the trial as an assault on the nation and reiterated his belief that it was a witch hunt.
The hush-money case revolves around allegations that Trump and his team paid Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an affair she alleges she had with him in the 2000s. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records, categorized as a felony in New York.
The court will review the transcript of the “Access Hollywood” tape and details of another alleged affair Trump had with ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal. Michael Cohen is expected to testify as well.
The jury selection process is anticipated to last several weeks, with thousands of Manhattan residents summoned for potential jury duty. Trump’s legal team seeks to select 12 jurors and 6 alternates who can impartially assess the case.
