A juror who was excused from the New York hush money trial said that encountering former President Donald Trump in person was a “jarring” event.
Speaking to MSNBC, the dismissed juror, identified as Kara McGee, shared her reflections after being released from the jury selection process due to job-related scheduling conflicts. Seated within 20 to 30 feet of Trump during the trial’s proceedings, McGee described the experience as unusual, particularly after seeing him extensively in the media.
“It was odd. It was such an interesting experience because it’s … I had never seen him in person before, you know. And when you see someone blown up so larger than life on the media for so many years — to see them in person is very jarring,” she expressed.
McGee further conveyed the surreal sensation of realizing that Trump, a figure often depicted prominently in the media, was simply “another guy” in person. She noted the peculiarity of being aware that he could potentially hear her discussing him.
“And you get the sense that it’s like, ‘Oh, this is just another guy.’ And also he sees me talking about him, which is bizarre,” she added.
During her time in the courtroom, McGee assured MSNBC that she had affirmed her ability to be impartial towards Trump. She recounted moments of eye contact with the former president, both before she began reading the questionnaire and as she departed. This interaction, she admitted, heightened her nervousness during the proceedings.
Reflecting on the gravity of serving on a jury, McGee emphasized the significant impact jurors hold on individuals’ lives, regardless of their identity. “It made the whole thing feel more real in a way because, I guess, when you’re on any jury, it’s, you have elements of that person’s future in your hands,” she remarked.
Despite the continuation of jury selection on Tuesday, no jurors were ultimately selected following Monday’s court session. Another potential juror in the courtroom, fitting McGee’s description, disclosed her occupation in cybersecurity and expressed difficulty in taking time off work. “I feel a sense of duty with my job, and I would worry about how thinking about that would affect how present I was for the case,” she articulated in court.
Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records regarding reimbursements to his former fixer, Michael Cohen, for payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. These payments, totaling $130,000, were intended to secure her silence regarding an alleged affair with the former president preceding the 2016 election.
Watch the interview below from MSNBC:
Dismissed juror from Trump hush money trial speaks to MSNBC@VaughnHillyard joins @jdbalart and spoke to Kara McGee after she was dismissed as a potential juror in former President Trump’s hush money criminal trial. pic.twitter.com/4m6dJO8goU
— MSNBC Reports (@MSNBC_reports) April 16, 2024
