Post by Admin on Oct 26, 2022 6:33:44 GMT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A prosecutor in the tax fraud trial of Donald Trump's company told prospective jurors on Tuesday the government's star witness - a longtime Trump Organization executive - may be "reluctant" to answer questions, while some jury candidates were dismissed after expressing contempt for the former U.S. president.
"I can't deny that I really, really don't like Trump. Yes, I hate him," said one prospective juror - a woman who Justice Juan Merchan, the judge overseeing the trial, later dismissed on the second day of jury selection in a New York state court.
Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Joshua Steinglass told 18 jury candidates that former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, who will testify for the prosecution, is still employed by the real estate company.
"Some of the witnesses work for the defendants, so they may be a little reluctant to answer the questions," Steinglass said. "One of the witnesses that I'm talking about is Allen Weisselberg."
Steinglass asked prospective jurors if they would discount Weisselberg's testimony because he was hoping for a lighter sentence. None of them indicated it would be a factor. Weisselberg was promised a sentence of five months in jail if he testifies truthfully in the trial.
The district attorney's office last year charged the Trump Organization and Weisselberg with awarding "off the books" benefits to some senior executives, enabling certain employees to understate their taxable compensation and the company to evade payroll taxes.
Weisselberg in August pleaded guilty to charges including grand larceny and tax fraud while admitting to concealing $1.76 million in income. Weisselberg agreed to testify against the company at trial as part of his plea agreement.
Trump, who is considering another run for the presidency in 2024, has not been charged in the case, which he has called politically motivated.
"I can't deny that I really, really don't like Trump. Yes, I hate him," said one prospective juror - a woman who Justice Juan Merchan, the judge overseeing the trial, later dismissed on the second day of jury selection in a New York state court.
Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Joshua Steinglass told 18 jury candidates that former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, who will testify for the prosecution, is still employed by the real estate company.
"Some of the witnesses work for the defendants, so they may be a little reluctant to answer the questions," Steinglass said. "One of the witnesses that I'm talking about is Allen Weisselberg."
Steinglass asked prospective jurors if they would discount Weisselberg's testimony because he was hoping for a lighter sentence. None of them indicated it would be a factor. Weisselberg was promised a sentence of five months in jail if he testifies truthfully in the trial.
The district attorney's office last year charged the Trump Organization and Weisselberg with awarding "off the books" benefits to some senior executives, enabling certain employees to understate their taxable compensation and the company to evade payroll taxes.
Weisselberg in August pleaded guilty to charges including grand larceny and tax fraud while admitting to concealing $1.76 million in income. Weisselberg agreed to testify against the company at trial as part of his plea agreement.
Trump, who is considering another run for the presidency in 2024, has not been charged in the case, which he has called politically motivated.