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Source: Public Review World
Author: Zhou Dewu
After twists and turns, the case of Trump paying star Daniels $130,000 in "hush money" finally officially opened on April 15. The four days of the trial revolved around the selection of 12 jurors and six alternate jurors who would decide Trump's fate. Therefore, both the prosecution and defense want to pick jurors who are beneficial to themselves. Since both sides only have the right to unconditionally veto 10 potential jurors, it is still difficult to quickly identify "useful people" from a pool of 500 potential jurors. Fortunately, both sides had a large list of potential jurors, so checking the social accounts of these people to find out the political leanings of potential candidates and their true attitudes towards Trump has become a private homework for both prosecution and defense.
Some potential jurors were removed from the jury list early, claiming that they were not neutral, and some were selected but were also removed from the jury list because their identities were exposed too early or because they could not withstand the intense political pressure. The 12 members of the jury last Thursday, consisting of seven men and five women, were identified only by code names, and reporters in the courtroom were not allowed to divulge their identities to the outside world, let alone publish the names of their employers, in order to prevent physical threats from doxing. However, judging from the limited information revealed by the media, the majority of the jury were highly educated, including two lawyers, and some media commented that this was relatively beneficial to Trump, after all, lawyers have their own set of logic and the ability to make rational judgments, and are not too at the mercy or influence of the presiding judge.
On April 19, just as the sixth alternate juror was elected, a self-immolation case appeared in the park opposite the New York Criminal Court, attracting the attention of the world. All the media present quickly conducted a live broadcast, causing unexpected disruption to the trial work of the criminal court.
The young man who set himself on fire was named Maxwell. Azarelo, 37, from St. Augustine, Florida, stayed at a hotel in New York the other day, Since the start of Trump's trial, Azarelo has held a protest sign in the park opposite the courthouse, saying that "Biden and Trump are the same hill and trying to launch a fascist-style coup against the United States".
At about 1:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon, Mr. Azarello threw leaflets into the air and poured alcohol on himself, setting himself on fire, and although the police and firefighters who followed him to extinguish the fire, he suffered severe burns and was pronounced dead a few hours after being taken to the hospital. After studying anthropology and public policy at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Azarello earned his undergraduate degree before moving to Rogers University in New Jersey for graduate studies in urban and regional planning. After graduating with a master's degree in 2012, he has engaged in market development, marketing and technical work. In 2013, he also helped Democrat Sotz run for the U.S. House of Representatives. The registered occupation is a research investigator, i.e. a self-employed person. In the eyes of his classmates, Azarelo "is one of the smartest people in the world." In April 2022, Azarelo's mother died of lung cancer, which hit him personally. He then moved to Florida and spent three days in a psychiatric hospital. Mr. Azarelo was arrested by police in Florida for vandalizing private property after he poured a bottle of wine on Clinton's signature wall at a hotel.
Friends who know him say that during his university years, Azarelo was full of curiosity and confusion about the so-called issues of social fairness and justice. "Today's U.S. government is a Ponzi scheme," he said. In the leaflets he distributed, he deliberately drew attention to a website that promoted conspiracy theories, often Trump supporters. According to some media outlets, "Azarelo is not attached to any party" and there is a strong dissatisfaction with the current state of the country.
Since the hush money trial began, Trump has lost his old look, being trapped in the courthouse every day, and will appear in court every day for the next six weeks, except for Wednesday adjournment. He remained seated in the courtroom, unable to make gestures, talk, or use a mobile phone, and even refused even a request to turn up the room temperature. However, Trump is Trump after all, and he is using every opportunity to turn the courtroom into a campaign stage, and in front of the cameras in the corridor outside the courtroom, Trump always makes a little testimonial, and carries out merciless attacks on prosecutors, judges, witnesses, etc. After Judge Merchamp issued a "gag order," he violated the gag more than 10 times, and prosecutors have asked for a hearing on the matter next Tuesday, and Trump will be fined more than $10,000.
Beginning on April 22, the prosecution and defense will enter the evidence presentation stage. After the arguments are over, a 12-member jury will discuss whether Trump is guilty or not guilty, and only by unanimous consent can a verdict be reached. If a verdict of not guilty is rendered, the judge has no power to change it, and once a guilty verdict is rendered, Judge Merchamp will rule on the sentencing scale within three months.
Trump's only remaining straw was the expectation that the 12-member jury would have his own covert supporters, so he insisted on not endorsing the verdict during the deliberation stage, forcing Judge Merchan to declare the trial null and void and order the jury to be dissolved. It will take time to form a new jury, meaning that by the time the November 5 election arrives, the case will be closed.
This is a real possibility. The financial fraud case of Trump's former national teacher Bannon gang provides a good example. Bannon once responded to Trump's call to build a wall on the Mexican border into a campaign, but the wall repair fund that this fellow set up quickly became a tool for enriching himself. During the trial of gang member Shay, a "stubborn juror" appeared and believed that the case was a "witch hunt" throughout, and in the end the jury reached an impasse, and finally the judge had to reorganize the jury, giving Shay a few months of respite. Although he was later sentenced to five years in prison, if that happened to Trump, it would be a real lifesaver. And this precious time difference of several months will greatly increase the odds of Trump returning to the White House.
Since the jury members are drawn by lot, there is a great deal of chance as to who will be selected for the jury, so there is also a certain element of luck in the "hush money" case, but it is difficult to tell whether Trump will be lucky enough to escape this sanction until the last minute. New York State Assistant Attorney Steingrass told jury members that this time the state government had to prove not only that the "hush money" case was a commercial fraud, but also that there was election fraud and hoodwinking of American voters. The implication is that only by directing this case in the direction of "violating the campaign finance law" can Trump be convicted of a felony and have a significant impact on the 2024 election. Otherwise, the case would be a misdemeanor with a suspended sentence or fine, which is not what New York State prosecutors were hoping for.
Azarelo's self-immolation took place in the first week of Trump's trial, highlighting the social divisions surrounding the case in the United States. Azarello is undoubtedly a victim of the division of American society. As the "hush money" case progresses, the division of American society will further intensify, and it is not surprising that even bigger moths will be raised.
At present, the election between Trump and Biden is deadlocked, and the competition for the six swing states in the United States is even more fierce. Voters in these states have made it clear that they will change their attitude to the ballot if Trump is convicted of a felony, which is undoubtedly Trump's nightmare. Whether Trump can use the existing legal rules and loopholes to win himself a respite will directly test the wisdom of Trump's legal team. But his lawyers may not be able to keep Mr. Trump's mouth shut, and extraneous incidents may happen from time to time. There is a saying in China: you always have to pay it back when you come out to mix. Has Trump, who has been dealing with lawsuits all his life, exhausted all his legal luck?