Former Trump Attorney Says ‘Very Unusual’ To Have Lawyers On The Jury: ‘They Can Be A Very Strong Voice’

The hush money trial of Donald Trump is underway, and the inclusion of two lawyers in the jury has sparked remarks from the ex-president’s former attorney, Timothy Parlatore, who described the move as “very unusual”.

What Happened: Parlatore discussed the unique situation of having lawyers serve on a jury during an interview on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” on Wednesday. He pointed out that the presence of lawyers on the jury could be advantageous or disadvantageous, depending on the specifics of the case, reported The Hill.

The trial, which kicked off in Manhattan on Monday, has so far selected seven jurors from a pool of 96 potential candidates over two days. The chosen jurors include a corporate attorney from Chelsea, Oregon, and a civil litigator from the Upper East Side, North Carolina.

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Parlatore voiced concern that a lawyer on the jury could hold considerable sway over the rest of the panel. The jury selection process, which is moving faster than expected, is set to continue on Thursday. The trial requires a total of 12 jurors and at least six alternates.

“The problem with having a lawyer on the jury is that they can be a very strong voice and influence the rest of the panel,” said the former Trump lawyer.

Former President Trump is on trial for allegedly illegally concealing a hush money payment made to suppress an alleged affair ahead of the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty and denied the affair.

Why It Matters: The trial, which began on April 15, has been drawing considerable attention, with the jury selection process and the social media accounts of prospective candidates taking center stage.

The trial is expected to last at least six weeks and has already sparked reactions from congressmen and talk show hosts.

On the first day of the trial, Trump argued that he was being politically prosecuted, a claim the judge did not accept.

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