Trump trial: 1st week of testimony ends with testimony from Michael Cohen's former banker

Banker Gary Farro testified in Donald Trump's hush money trial in New York.

Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.

Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.


What to know about the hush money case

READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.


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12 jurors now seated, alternates to come

A full jury of 12 members has now been seated following the addition of five more jurors.

The court is now working to select the six alternate jurors for the case.

"We have our jury," Judge Merchan said.

The 12 jurors then rose, raised their right hands, and were sworn in.


'Oops, that sounds bad,' potential juror says of past social posts

Trump's lawyers sought to strike a potential juror by confronting her with her own social media posts about the former president.

"These posts are vitriolic," defense lawyer Susan Necheles said. "There is no question that this is as strong language as you can get for Donald Trump."

Necheles cited past posts including one where the potential juror said Trump was "anathema" to her beliefs.

"I wouldn't believe Donald Trump if his tongue were notarized," another post allegedly said.

When the potential juror was questioned about the posts, she said that she did not immediately recall making them.

Merchan then asked her to read back some of her posts, including one when she called Trump a "racist, sexist, narcissist."

"Oops, that sounds bad," the potential juror said. "I was in a disturbed frame of mind during that election cycle."

After questioning, the prospective juror apologized to Trump, saying of her posts, "I don't think it's appropriate."

The judge ultimately struck her from consideration for the jury.

"Those were pretty strong views," Judge Marchan said.


2 new jurors seated

Two new jurors have been seated, including a man with an MBA in finance who follows Trump on Truth Social and also follows Michael Cohen.

"I do not have any beliefs that would prevent me from being fair or impartial," the man said while answering attorneys' questions.

"Except for following Michael Cohen or someone like that I don't follow any anti-Trump organizations," he said.

The second new juror is a security engineer who is married with three children, whose wife is a teacher.

The new additions bring the number of jurors selected so far back to seven, after two jurors were excused earlier today.

The court is now looking for eleven more jurors, six of them alternates.


Prospective juror once stayed at defense attorney's house

After individual questioning, Judge Merchan dismissed a prospective juror after prosecutors raised concern about her preexisting knowledge of the case and asked to strike her for cause.

"I'm worried that I know too much," she said under questioning. "I am worried that it is going to seep in in some way."

Trump's lawyers attempted to strike another juror who previously interacted with defense attorney Susan Necheles in a personal setting.

"She stayed at my house overnight," Necheles said.

Merchan declined to strike the potential juror after she said she could follow the court's instructions and be a fair juror.

"One time in 50 years," Merchan said about the overnight stay.

"I know her husband very well," Necheles acknowledged.

"He is not in the jury," Merchan responded.


Trump falsely claims his supporters can't protest

On his way into the courtroom, Trump continued to falsely claim that his supporters were being barred from protesting outside the courthouse.

"Great Americans -- people that want to come down and they want to protest at the court. And they want to protest peacefully," he told reporters. "We have more police presence here than anyone's ever seen for blocks. You can't get near this courthouse."

But as the day's proceedings began, the park across from the New York criminal courthouse was open and nearly empty, and the area around the courthouse is not closed off.

-Mike Pappano and Brian Hartman