Trump’s third day on criminal trial: Dozen jurors picked, two excused and defence kept in the dark over witnesses

Jury selection continued on the eventful third day of Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial in New York, with a full complement of 12 jurors ultimately picked, plus one alternate.

Earlier in the day, however, Judge Juan Merchan’s hopes of getting around to opening statements on Monday looked highly unlikely to be realised, when two of the seven jurors chosen on Tuesday had to be excused over concerns about their anonymity being compromised and their impartiality.

Barring further unforeseen drama, the process is now expected to be wrapped up on Friday with the selection of five more alternates to complete the substitute’s bench.

Mr Trump, 77, is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of an alleged bid to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment made to the adult film star Stormy Daniels, 45, in 2016 to buy her silence over a sexual encounter she claims they had a decade earlier.

Mr Trump denies the affair and all of the charges brought against him by Alvin Bragg, Manhattan district attorney.

Here are the key takeaways from day three of The People v Donald Trump.

‘We have our jury’

The panel of 12 Manhattan residents who will ultimately decide the fate of the former president has now been seated.

After three days of jury selection, either side of a recess on Wednesday, in which hundreds of New Yorkers were summoned to the Manhattan Criminal Court, sworn in and asked personal questions, the majority of the jury was chosen – a panel of five women and seven men.

One alternative has also been seated, with five more needed to complete the set of 18 on Friday.

Two of Tuesday’s jurors excused

Two jurors who were sworn in earlier this week ended up excused from the case on Thursday as the court continues