Oh no... not a peter thiel cryptobro 😭
Sad!

NEW: “I think we have our full panel,” said Judge Merchan after seating the sixth alternate. Opening statements appear ready for Monday….

#breaking : Full jury has just been selected in #TrumpTrial , 12 and all six alternates after several downplayed social media posts. Inner City Press live tweeted it - omitting places of employment, etc- stories on patreon.com/MatthewRussell… and matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com

A quick coda, and cliffhanger.

Per the pool, as Trump left the courtroom, a reporter asked if he will testify.

Trump looked over and announced, “Yes.”

He turned and left without staying another word.

Adam Klasfeld And that's a wrap on jury selection.

It has been, well, a week.

Allow me to humbly put out the tip jar one final time this week, and thank everyone for contributing to Lawfare's coverage of this and all of Trump's trials. givebutter.com/c/trumptrials/…

As Adam Klasfeld points out here, Trump's alleged contempt violations are already biting him—Merchan emphasized the 10 contempt counts against him in that last exchange regarding witness lists, and we haven't even had the hearing yet.
x.com/KlasfeldReport…

Trump and defense counsel walk out a few moments later, as the press remains seated.

He must have been a bit antsy to go, it's been a long week.

At 4:28 p.m., Merchan thanks everyone and exits.

We'll see you Monday.

Before we end, Trump stands up abruptly.

'Sir can you please have a seat,' Merchan says.

Steinglass says that unless Merchan orders it, he won't grant that, also says defense won't get time to cross Monday anyway, but will provide one witness name to defense counsel Sunday evening—but if they're tweeted, that'll never happen again.

Necheles rises for one more issue: 'Of course we don't want any delay,' she says, and renews defense's request to get at least one witness name from the prosecution.

'Whether you get the name or not, you're not going to delay the trial,' Merchan says.

Steinglass understood Merchan's ruling to mean that the Access Hollywood tape itself was too prejudicial, bc it contained Trump's voice and person walking off the bus, but the transcript was admissible. Merchan will reread transcript from Monday to make sure no misunderstanding.

'This sounds suspiciously like the half an hour we spent debating this on Monday,' Steinglass says to Blanche's pushback. Steinglass calls it 'just another tactic,' and asks Merchan to reject it.

Steinglass raises defense's 4/17 letter about the Access Hollywood tape, which he calls a 'third bite at the apple.'

Merchan asks, So your Apr 17 letter sought to reargue the clarification I made on Apr 15 clarifying a March 18 in limine ruling? (rhetorically, and exhaustedly)

Merchan discusses more premotion letters and says, 'Defense is literally targeting individual decisions one, by one, by one, by one, with these premotion letters...There comes a point where you accept my rulings. I've entertained your motions, your arguments, in good faith.'

Merchan will consider both proposals, and come up with its own decision on the limiting instruction.

You can find all of these premotion letters here, thanks to the inestimable Katherine Pompilio lawfaremedia.org/current-projec…

Second defense premotion letter delimiting instruction regarding Cohen plea to FECA and AMI nonprosecution agreement (4/18), defense had submitted language to be used, People respond orally now.

First, the defense's presidential immunity reargument premotion letter (4/16)—that the courts should preclude a number of exhibits under pres immunity, esp now that it is timely. Merchan's decision remains the same, says Trump couldve raised this when motions in limine were filed

Merchan will reserve decision on Sandoval, but we'll have it Monday morning.

Merchan moves on to a couple more matters he'd like to take up related to premotion letters.