The court began filling out the jury of 12 people, along with six alternates, who will decide whether to convict Trump of charges accusing him of falsifying business records to cover up an alleged sex scandal during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Possible jurors were quizzed for hours about their views on Trump and other issues, and eight were excused after saying they could not be impartial or because they had other commitments. Several people said they believed they could decide the case fairly, no matter their feelings about Trump or his policies as president.
The methodical process — which could take several more days or even weeks — highlights the unprecedented challenge of finding people who can fairly judge the well-known defendant, who has cast himself as the victim of political persecution as he vies to reclaim the White House.
