The Jury has spoken. Former President Donald Trump is guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree.
“Twelve everyday New Yorkers listened to the judges directions, they followed the evidence,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said of the jury after the verdict was delivered. “You saw them in court every day, they were careful and attentive.”
But now that the trial is over and Judge Juan Merchan dismissed the jury, what will happen to their identities?
Judge Merchan prohibited their names from being released during the trial. It does not appear he plans on lifting that order now that the trial is over. State and local leaders in New York indicated they want to take steps to protect the jurors’ identities.
“I directed my administration to closely coordinate with local and federal law enforcement and we continue to monitor the situation,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. “We are committed to protecting the safety of all New Yorkers and the integrity of our judicial system.”
“As we await the next steps, New Yorkers should rest assured that the NYPD stands ready to respond to any and all circumstances, including large-scale protests,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams posted on X.
“The safety and security of the judge, court personnel and jury are of the utmost importance in the upcoming days and weeks,” State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, D-N.Y., the chairman of the State Judiciary Committee, said in a statement. “Their protection, and this ruling, will demonstrate to the nation, and to the world, that we are indeed a nation governed by the rule of law.”
Journalists will track down the jurors and request an interview. Whether they participate is totally up to them.
It is not uncommon for jurors to come forward after high-profile cases. One juror did an interview after the OJ Simpson murder trial, another spoke after the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation case.
