as the historic hush money case unfolds opening statements now set to begin monday a full jury and a panel of six alternates are selected and sworn in our reporters and experts are all standing by to break down all of today's most important development let's and look ahead to what's next. >> welcome to our viewers here in the united states and around the world. i'm wolf blitzer with a special report in this room the trump trial today are special coverage this hour begins with the breaking news. the judge overseeing donald trump's criminal trial says, opening statements will begin on monday. jury selection in the case now officially complete. let's check in with cnn's kara scannell outside the courthouse in manhattan. kara, you were there inside inside the courtroom for today's drum. now kind of proceedings give us the latest

well, trump donald trump's legal team >> team tried to argue and can try to convince the judge that the prosecution should not be allowed to use any of his past legal run-ins if he were to take the stand and testify, prosecutors want to do that to try to discredit trump, but his lawyers were saying that some of the events they want to bring up, such as the e jean carroll allegations are attenuated to what is at trial in this case. now the judge has said that he would rule on this on monday, but it also came as trump's legal team made a last-ditch effort to try to stop this trial before it starts, they went to an appeals court today asking a judge to issue an emergency motion to grant the emergency motion to stop the trial so they could challenge it over venue because they've been arguing they've been unable to find an fair and impartial jury in new york. now this coming within hours of the judge actually in 12 jurors and six alternates after they selected the final five alternates in this case, which is expected to kick off on monday opening

statements. now plan to start monday in former president donald trump's hush money trial after jury selection concluded, seating 12 jurors and six alternates. we have our full panel. that announcement from judge juan wir schon after jury selection concluded at manhattan nights 12 jurors and six alternates have now been seated down. >> so this is going on. and this will go on for another four or five weeks and it's very unfair. >> trump appeared board much of the trial de four, as attorneys on both sides, pro potential jurors until they filled the remaining five alternate seats. in court, a handful of perspective jurors became emotional one was excused after she told the judge she had anxiety and was worried as the trial goes on, more people could know she's part of the jury saying, i might not be able to be completely fair and not emotional. so that concerns me another was dismissed after she began crying, saying, i'm sorry, i thought i could do this. i wouldn't want someone

who feels this way to judge my case either. i don't want you to feel i've wasted anyone's time. this is so much more stressful than i thought. a third was sent home after noting she was feeling anxiety and self-doubt as she listened to a line of questions about the credibility of witnesses at the defense table. trump's set flipping through papers with charts, photos, and graphics. he whispered and passed notes with his lawyers and at some points was hunched over with his elbows on the desk prosecutors susan hauwa, fingers started off questioning potential jurors, telling them this is not about mr. trump being a former president then it's not about his being a candidate for the presidency. it's only about whether the evidence proves he's guilty during her presentation, trump leaned back in his chair at one point, his eyes closed. trump's attorney, susan necklace focused on bias against the former president. she told those in the jury box, you all bring biases and you particularly bring biases about someone who is as publicly and outspoken as president trump there's nobody that doesn't

know him in this room that trump's lawyers tried, once again to get the prosecutors to tell them who the first witness will be, that they'll call in the case the most prosecutor said they would do is tell them on sunday prosecutors said, if former president tweets or makes any comments about that witness, it will be the last time they give them a heads up. wolf. >> all right. kara scannell in new york for us. thank you. other action in the trump courtroom today? arguments over whether prosecutors can bring up donald trump, his past legal issues if he chooses to testify i want to bring in our senior legal analyst, elie honig, for a closer look. ellie, walk us through the so-called sandoval hearing. >> well, we'll think of a sandoval motion as a warning shot. this is the way that prosecutors here in new york advise any criminal defendant in any case here in new york. if you take the stand, of course, we will cross-examine you about the actual charges, but we're also so going to cross-examine you about these other bad acts that you engaged in. and here, there's three main things that prosecutors

say they want to cross-examine donald trump on. if big if he takes the stand. first of all, is the recent verdict against him in civil core over the trump civil fraud case, the allegation that donald trump was involved in inflating the value of his sets the second thing prosecutors want to bring up is the e jean carroll verdict for sexual assault and for defamation. and the third thing that prosecutors say they'd like to cross-examined donald trump on outside the scope of these charges is a recent lawsuit that donald trump filed against hillary clinton, which was thrown out of court by a judge for being frivolous. and so the judge is not not ruled yet on this, and he has said, we'll have a ruling on monday and this may well informed, drawn donald trump's ultimate decision whether he's going to take the stand and testify. >> elleithee, talk to us a little bit more about the appeals court hearing today involving trump's request for a change of venue yeah. >> well, so donald trump has tried yet again to pause this hearing and to try to get the case moved out of the borough of manhattan. that was denied. the judge said, we're not pausing this trial now donald

trump's key argument is he is very politically unpopular in the borough of manhattan in new york county. and he is correct as a factual matter, if we look back at the 2020 election, donald trump got a little over 12% of the vote and manhattan, and that's the only borough where we're drawing our jury from. just by comparison, in staten island donald trump got 57% of the vote. we go to queens. he got 27% of the vote. he got 22 in brooklyn, and he got about 16 in the bras. that fed this is not the test for moving a case out to another venue. it's not about whether a person's popular, unpopular, it's about whether the person can get a legally fair trial. and the prosecutors team today pointed to jury selection. they said, look, we just wait it out. hundreds of people who said, i'm to bias i can't sit on this case and they argued the jury we ended up with was the result of a fair process. therefore, the cation stay in manhattan and manhattan, it shall stay. >> all right. who are the alternatives? who got seated today? >> ele. >> so now we have our final

alternate jurors. these are people who will only serve if we lose one of the main jurors. there's a lot we actually don't know about these folks alternate juror number two, not working does not not follow the news that may make her more neutral. number three, all we know is it's a native new yorker who's interested in martial arts, draw whatever conclusion you will from that number for reads the times writer's bbc& is a contract specialist. we have another person who was a professional and then our last two alternate jurors, one of them works for a clothing company, gets her news from google. the last one's a project manager. interestingly, her father was convicted of a federal crime. not clear which way that would push, but wolf, it's important understand if we do have to dip into the alternate tier, alternate one will be the first one in then number two. so as we go farther and farther back in these alternate, it becomes less and less likely that any of these folks will ever actually make get onto the jury. >> six offered it's hard. ellie will watch it together with you. thank you very much for joining us. now, let's get some more analysis from our legal and political experts and paula

reid, euro or chief legal affairs correspondent. i'm anxious for your thoughts. give us your analysis of what the trump team is trying to keep out of this trial and y well, it's interesting. trump has so many legal issues everything, allegations of mishandling classified materials to allegations of fraud, to sex abuse. and here the argument is really focused on his civil matters. and i think it's going to be difficult for the defense attorneys to keep out a lot of this conduct because there's so much overlap with the case itself. their strongest argument seems to be look, there's a different standard preponderance of the evidence that is much lower than a criminal court. it could confuse the jury, but for example, when it came to the hillary clinton lawsuit, uh, judges said, look, if this isn't sandoval at this isn't relevant. >> i don't know what is so not a great sign for the defense team. we bring in on chris khardori, a former federal prosecutor into this this conversation. how do you expect the judge to rule i expect he will let most, if not all of that come in because the differences between the standard civil and criminal that can be explained to the jury.

>> and donald trump's lawyers can get into that if if that were to come up but the thing that all of those three categories of evidence that ali described having common is they all concern his honesty, his truthfulness is reliability, right? the defamation is about him lying about e. jean carroll, the civil fraud case is about him lying about his financial assets, the frivolous hillary clinton lawsuit is about him being reckless with regard to the truth all of those things, i do think would bear on a defendant's credibility if they took the stand, if he takes the stand, do you think the judge will allow all that to come up? >> i think most, if not all, real, very interesting. >> kristen, or why do you think trump is so insistent on testifying, taking the stand, even though his lawyers probably you're telling him don't do it. >> i'm not sure that he's as its early so insistent on taking the stand. i think he's so insistent on saying that he might take the stand. donald trump wants to control the media narrative& if he continues to say that he might take the stand, there will be a whole will he won't he back-and-forth? i will remind you what this is not the first time that he said he's going to take the stand only to later

changes. mine say that his lawyers talked him out of it. there's actually only one time that he's said he was going to take the stand. he wasn't forced to. it was in the e jean carroll case. he stepped up there. it was very quick, very brief. he just wanted to answer one question and then got up the stand. let's remember what this case is about at its heart, a very salacious topic, donald trump and alleged affair with a porn star, then, hush money payments to cover up that alleged affair. that is not something donald trump wants let's to talk about or answer questions on. >> yeah, that's a good point. you're making an excellent point. shan wu is with us as well. we're looking ahead to the opening arguments, the opening statements on monday, assuming that happens on monday, how do you think the manhattan district attorney's team will approach these opening statements? >> i think they'll try and keep it to a very simple story, which is, we're going to tell you about payments went to tell you about how they lied about the payments were going to tell you why the allied about them and by focusing on that very simple narrative, then you have the documents to prove those things and then you also have the witnesses who will kind of give in life and refer to

documents. >> what about the defense trump's lawyers? what do you think they're going to do? >> well, i think we're going to hear a lot about michael cohen from the defense. they are going to undercut his credibility. he certainly has credibility issues based on his conviction, on his continued attacks on the defendant here, but he can be rehabilitated. he's still a witness that they can use and i think in addition to trying to undercut his credibility in the eyes of the jury, they're also going to talk about his role at this time and the trump trump orbit and perhaps her to argue that, look, he was actually doing legal work at the time in question. this isn't fraud, these aren't falsifying documents. he was, as it says, in these documents doing work for the trump the trump family for the trump organization. he was doing what he had always done. so i think we're going to start to hear a lot about michael cohen. >> he was trump's lawyer. he was the so-called fixer. we all know all about that. i'm crushed. what do you think? >> i think michael cohen is going to be a major part of the opening. he is as we he

currently understand the case, a key part of the da's case on that could change as a introduce evidence that maybe corroborates cohen. obviously, there's been some folks on the witness list who were all sort of wondering what are they gonna be testifying about but at least out of the gate, i would expect donald trump's lawyers to really be hammering on cohen and basically saying, this man is completely unreliable. he's lived every branch the federal government in the last few years, you shouldn't believe them now, if you don't believe them now you need to acquit donald trump. >> one thing i do want to add here about michael cohen is obviously donald trump has his gag order in place where he's not allowed to talk about the witnesses, but that does not apply to his small army of right-wing social media influencers. they are given the same access to information that all of us journalists it's are given, they're seeing pool reports and they are notoing to have e same restrictions that say we do are limitations. that's going to apply to both jurors, but also attacking michael cohen. they are going toork to paint him as a liar. they are going to work to say that ts case is based off of the testimony of liar and you're going tsee pretty rsh,arsh, viiol when i

comes to these witnesses, particularly from these right-wing social media influencers and from donald trump's allies what do you think show i think that's a real great point a think it raises four judgeission ultimaly, the queson of does he have to reconsider second sequestration of the the time of deliberations, but pressure tt has been put on the jurors. he may have be a little bit oveonfide and thinhe can manage w he did a great b of getting through thseleion. but you're beginning this some of the ressppearing in the jurors. he may end up having to go kinda deepens that alternate bull two. so that's something has got to consider and crush earlier in the week, you express concern about the safety of the jurors. they're under enormous pressure as we all know, what do you think? yeah. i mean, i completely go what these two just said i'm also concerned about not the establishment media organizations, but the peripheral folks who are getting the same pool reports. we are, we all are. and

frankly, those pull reports have way more information that credible news outlets but when we saw what we put up for it, we're trying to protect the identity, particularly after we saw what happened was her number two, who asked to be dismissed because there were calls that she said she got got saying that there were identifying factors asking her up. she was the jurors, so we have become more careful there. remember the judges only rule here was using common sense. what we use for common sense is not going to be the same as what these right-wing media influencers, people who are pro-donald trump, but going to use, i think one thing we saw, two jay evidently all these folks getting up and talking about how stressful this is to say those some of those comments were a little upsetting to me. have to hear our fellow americans were really just trying to do their civic duty going through all of this stress, sitting on the first-ever criminal prosecution potentially of a former president this not be a country where president milan trial and that americans are afraid to be on the jury because we may have to do it three more times.

>> if there were more trials biggest, i'm really worried myself. >> i'm sure you are as well about the safety of these jurors. >> yeah. no doubt. i think when we all heard that oncology nurse yesterday say, look, i just i can't do this after she had been selected. no one question that everyone understands that you some of us have drawn the ire of trump and know what that feels like and what that brings for you and your family. it's an enormous ask of any citizen to be on this jury. it's hugely important, but it absolutely comes with risks it's an important point. our guys. thank you very, very much. just ahead, we'll take a closer look at just win an alternate juror would be needed, including what happens if the case runs out of alternates, who can step in. but first, we're looking at the big decision. the judge is weighing as both sides prepare for the opening statements. a former new york judges, by to discuss with us live, stay with us you're in the situation there's new ally in the fight

against climate change. >> this is new car business blue carbon. we just need to protect nature. we'll do that pressed blue carbon plus cnn filled sunday at nine smile. >> you found it the feeling of findings, psoriasis can't filter out the real you. so go ahead, live unfiltered with the one and only so tick to a once-daily pill for moderate to severe prac psoriasis and the chance that clear or almost clear skin, it's like the feeling of finding you're so ready for your close-up are finding you don't have to hide your skin just your background. once daily. so tiktok was proven better, getting more people clear skin than the leading pill. don't take if you're allergic. so tick two serious reactions can occur. so ticked, you can lower your ability to fight infections, including team he be serious infections, cancers including lymphoma, muscle problems, and changes in certain labs have occurred. tell your doctor if you have an infection, liver or kidney problems, high triglycerides or had a vaccine or plan to so take two as a tick to inhibitor, tick two as part of the jak family. it's

not known as though tiktok has the same risks as jak inhibitors find what plaque psoriasis has been hiding. there's only one so take two. ask for it by name so clearly you, so take to from meat free monday to sizzle pan sunday so many ways to save life, ready while it happened that's 3605 by whole foods market. okay. yeah, we got orders coming in, starting a business is never easy, but starting at eight months pregnant that's a different story. i couldn't slow down. we were starting a business from the ground up. people were showing up left and right and so did our business needs. the jacy qarrah made it easy when you go for something big like this, your kids need it. and they believe they can do the same earn a limit 1.5% cash back on every purchase today's ink business unlimited card from chase for make more of what's yours in two seconds, eric will realize her

space. >> got to sell the house open bars, skip the hassles and sell directly to open door. when life doors open, we'll handle the house you know, i spent a lot of time thinking about dirt at three in the morning and you try what people don't know is that not all der is the same. you need dirt with the right kind of nutrients. look at this new organic soil from miracle grow. >> everybody should have it great for us. >> this is as good as gold in any garden. >> if people only knew that it really is about the dirt, your dirt nerd huge turret nerd. i'm proud of it there's some things. >> that were better together like your workplace benefits and retirement savings presentation looks great. thanks. >> boy provides tools that help you make the right investment and benefit choices so you can reach today's financial goals

that one and look forward to more confident future that is one dynamic duo well-planned, well invested, well-protected one reading seven, zero. yeah, that's not good happens huge things happen happens be there with three, learn more at rnc.com monies, allergies don't have to be scary. >> it's right flown a sense of ms daily for non drowsy, long-lasting relief if an ascent free gentlemen slowness, all good also try are allergy, headache and nighttime pills. >> smerconish tomorrow with nine easter close captioning brought to you by gilt visit gilt.com today for up to 70% off designer brands, it has the designers that get your heart racing had inside a problem i see you every day. >> hurry. there'll be gone in a flash designer sales that up

to 70% art shop gilt.com today we're back with our special coverage of the trump trial day for tonight, donald trump on truth, social is posting about judge juan merchan writing in part, and i'm quoting judge birth sean is railroading me at breakneck speed in order to completely satisfy his quote, friends. >> let's discuss with shira scheindlin, a retired us district court judge for the southern district of new york, judge. thank you so much for joining us. how do you think, judge merchan could address this latest attack against him? in the other cases, prosecutors flag that they say violated the gag order in the upcoming hearing on that issue well, i think the best thing he could do is not respond at all. >> that's the wisest way to deal with attacks like that say nothing. it's a mistake for a judge to get drawn into it. >> also today in this so-called sandoval hearing, judge merchan said he'll decide by monday

whether prosecutors can bring up trump's past legal cases. how do you expect him to rule? >> well, you know, the sandoval rule is that it has the questioning has to go to credibility, honesty, and veracity. and so many of the items that the people want to put in go directly to veracity, credibility and honesty. but the judge's job is just to weigh the probative value of that testimony against the prejudice. so it's always prejudicial to a defendant to have bad prior bad acts mentioned on the other hand, the probative value is high on some of these things so the prior finding that his testimony was not honest before judgment, judge engoron, that goes directly to credibility and honesty it's the same is true of the yeah, the same is true of the defamation case because by definite by definition, you can't commit

defamation unless it's false. if it's truthful, it's not defamatory. so by definition it's false. so that also goes to honesty, credibility veracity. so i expect he will certainly let those two n. now, this recent lawsuit against hillary clinton, it's frivolous. i'm not sure. best it goes to credibility that one to me is closer, but probably let that into. but what you won't let in or shouldn't let in. >> for example, is sexual assault or rape because while those are heinous crimes, they don't go to veracity credibility, or honesty. >> and that's the rule. >> interesting. trump also complained is, you know, about judge versions pacing, pacing of this trial outside the courtroom only moments ago, he said this, watch and listen drowsy monday, which is long before a lot of people for the judge wants to go as fast as possible. >> the histories and is not for my residence what do you make

that is this trial moving at the pace you expected well honestly, i thought it would take longer to pick a jury and state court, but i admire the way he's handled it. he's moved it along quickly, which is probably the right thing to do in this particular case, the longer it takes a longer people are going to have second thoughts. it's good to get the jury is seated and sworn. i think he did get fairly in every way and i don't think it was overly fast. i think it was thorough, it carefully planned, a good questionnaire. the lawyers had time to ask their questions. so while it was faster than i expected, i don't think he was railroaded and i don't think it's too fast. >> as you know, judge, there's been a lot of scrutiny over juror number 11, who said she doesn't like trump's persona, that she thinks he seems quote, very selfish and self-serving direct quotes were you surprised the judge borussia didn't dismiss her? would you have done so in his shoes? i

probably would have dismissed or i think there was a fair challenge for cause there and there were so many more jurors available to be questioned that i wouldn't i wouldn't have kept this particular one. >> what's the point if she really has these preconceived views of the defendant? not necessarily his conduct, but of him, then she's predisposed against him. and i don't think that's fair. i think he would have been wiser to grant the challenge for cause and voir dire some other jurors, there were hundreds and waiting. >> good point that going into the opening statements next week, we think they're going to take place on monday. how does judge mershid? balanced treating trump like a normal criminal defendant with the extraordinary circumstances of this case well, i don't know quite what you mean by normal. >> he's a defendant& a criminal trial. he's not going to be making an opening statement. his lawyers are going to be making opening statements. and i'm sure the judge has ask them how long they expect to take? and i'm

sure the judge will give them the time they need. but if they cross a line that the judge thinks is inappropriate, and there's an objection, then he will interrupt and sustain the objection. but i think he'll hopefully let the lawyers do their job these are good lawyers. i think the judge respects i think they'll do they'll do what they have to do. >> judge shira scheindlin. thanks so much for joining us. want to continue our conversation down the road. appreciate it very much coming up. we'll take a closer look at what's on the docket monday in the case of the people of new york versus donald j. trump, plus a lawyer who defended donald trump, wanted this previous trials is standing by to join us live great teammates trusted each other. >> we're going to do a trust falls stand up, you close your eyes for trust what we suddenly up doc i told you it was a

dummy our biggest challenge, uncertainty hidden fees, surcharges. who knows what to expect, turns shipping to your advantage, keep it simple with clear upfront pricing, with us yes, grounded vantage tausche, duncan, spirit, trna, whole family into millionaires kopan, does this happen? >> the same girl he's not in love with you. what makes you think i want someone being loved with me? >> challengers, some people 26, i'm your oblique brother wray for a rematch game on i've been practicing with the cello going to lower the who now, what do you tell me? yeah i felt pick a free shot next not sure get all state, save money and be protected from like me love you, mom, weightier, find the

kids home with priceline vip family. you can unlock deals five times faster. you don't even have to be an actual family. >> i'd be the dad on the day physically it's clear that i'm the dad. okay. so which dad is paying? >> you're we're in a large cave letting extreme residue bill got to put finished jet dry to the test dishwashers. i just trying to use jet dry to defend against top residues for are practically spotlight, shine what you doing just buying a car on carbonic already got pre-qualified in two minutes i can customize my terms, say my car is getting delivered in a couple of days delivered where we financed and buying your car with carbonic today everyone sees meanwhile

at a vrbo when other vacation rentals arjust for likes, dry one, you'll actually like hello, gstbusters i's duck. we help people customize and save hundreds on car insurance with liberty mutual be the situation sure. >> i can make you their last lines massive solar flare added a 24 hour to the day. businesses are wondering what shubi to with bacon, and eggs 2057, right? >> so response to them 20% would be additional hours with the extra hour, i'm thinking a py power now, let's put it through a book this is going to wreak havoc on overtime approvals. >> anything can change the world of working from hr to pay roll a

you've got xfinity wifi at home. take it on the go with xfinity mobile. customers now get exclusive access to wifi speed up to a gig in millions of locations. plus, buy one unlimited line and get one free. that's like getting two unlimited lines for twenty dollars a month each for a year. so, ditch the other guys and switch today. buy one line of unlimited, get one free for a year with xfinity mobile! plus, save even more and get an eligible 5g phone on us! visit xfinitymobile.com today. doctors preferred better

science, better results opening statements and the trump hush money trial start monday at nine eastern let's get some more now on the opening statements of the trump trial. now set for monday morning, our senior legal analyst, elie honig is back with us looking ahead today. >> five had cord la what should we expect when the trial resumes on monday? >> well, what if we have our full jury and so the next step is that the trial will start in earnest. we are here on our flowchart. we are going to hear opening statements from both sides and let me explain to you how this is going to play out. first of all, the da's office, the prosecutor's, they're gonna go first. this is alvin bragg. he's the de, he's not going to be giving the opening argument human. he's not going to be trying this case. he will probably be in the courtroom to support his team, but a member of the da's team will open, followed by the opening for the defense in all likelihood, the defense actually does not have to open, but they probably will. todd blanche will be giving that opening for donald trump a couple of major themes

that i think people should watch for in the opening statements. first of all, the indictment, what does it mean? the de is going to argue this is about donald trump's attempt to interfere in the 2016 election. donald trump's team will probably argue this is a paperwork offense from a long time ago that he never should have been charged with and that he's not guilty of the second thing theme, of course, will revolve around some of the witnesses, michael cohen in particular, is a very high stakes, very controversial witness, as you just discussed with your panel. and the final theme that we will here, we're going to hear a lot about the burden of proof, the defense lawyers in any case, they always remind the jury over and over again that the prosecution, they bear the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. so listen for those three themes. when the parties open on monday we'll watch it together with you, elie honig. thank you very, very much. let's get some more insight right now from robert raise served as counsel, the former president trump during his first impeachment robert, thanks so much for joining us. how do you think trump's team is working to craft opening

statements for monday morning, take us inside the process well, the good thing for them, and it doesn't always happen in every case is that they have a weekend to prepare for this and so they will be working over the course of this evening and in through the throughout the weekend. >> and my guess is they'll probably do. i've todd blanche is giving the opening statement a mock opening statement now run through perhaps before jury consultants and a reaction to how that goes over with with mock jurors. and my guess also is that it will be a presentation in front of the client, in front of donald trump himself, who will be in a position to critique and amend and make suggestions as to what he thinks the opening should be. so there'll be plenty of time over the course of the weekend for the defense team to perfect that opening statement and it's a very important moment in the case as elie just mentioned, the most important thing to drive home and remind

the jurors is that at the end of the case, the defense will be asking for a verdict of not guilty. the government has the burden of proof to prove beyond a reasonable doubt in nanometers lee to the satisfaction of all jurors that the defendant is guilty before they can reach a verdict of guilty. and that's a the presumption of innocence is an important legal concept. in our judicial system in a criminal case, given the fact that potentially imprisonment is on the line. and the seriousness of the case will be something that that will be a theme from todd blanche. i mean, i mean, obviously have a critique of the evidence about what the defense expects to show during the course of the trial. but he'll remind the jurors that the defendant doesn't have to do anything. he has no burden of proof. he doesn't have to present evidence. he doesn't have to testify in his own defense and it remains the obligation of the government to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt robert, if you were trump's council in this case, would you be trying to convince him against taking the stand? and you know him well

can even be convinced ultimately, wolf, that's a call for the client to make. >> obviously, it is done with the advice of your lawyers, but it's one that only the defendant can make in most cases defendants don't testify and they don't because of the reasons that i just suggested that is that the government has the burden of proof and the defendant doesn't have to do anything. if, you know, depending on how the evidence goes in at trial, if the lawyers on the client think that it went well and they rely on the presumption of innocence and the fact that the government has the burden of proof. usually it behooves the defendant not to take the stand. that's advice. that it is often provided by defense counsel to the client. and sometimes they take that advice and sometimes they don't. i will say that if donald trump decides over the objection of his lawyers to take the stand, my guess is that the lawyers will make a record before the

judge out of the presence of the jury, that that was the advice that they gave& the client to reject it in favor of testifying in his own defense. yeah, that would be the reason they do that is because they're trying to protect themselves from any subsequent claim later on that the lawyers provided ineffective assistance of counsel. yeah, that's a good point. let me get your thoughts while i have you, robert, i'm there now fully empaneled jury and the six alternates. is this a jury you would have agreed to seat if you were representing trump? >> i think there were appropriate objections made. you went over them with judge scheindlin about some i think questionable calls about whether or not certain jurors should have been excused for cause. >> the defense has made a record of that in the event of a conviction, i'm sure those issues will be ones that we'll return on appeal. >> and that may or may not warrant a new trial if an appellate court decides that even in the event of a conviction, donald trump didn't receive a fair trial

because he didn't get a fair jury i think there can be reasonable disagreement of that, and obviously unless the error is serious, it's not likely to be one that would survive harmless error analysis. but they are still legitimate issues on appeal, which is why trials or such difficult things. and so those, those issues, there's a record that has been made. they've objected and in a timely fashion the court has ruled and it will be up ultimately to an appellate courts sayyed or not that judge made the right call. we're not robert wray. thanks for your excellent analysis. we'll have you back for sure. thank you very much and just ahead glaring at the judge, flipping through papers, sometimes appearing board with a trial will get a first-hand account of donald trump's demeanor in court today? i'm going to cnn correspondent, who was in the room. we entitled to blue carbon. >> a cnn bill sunday at nine

businesses, go further with 5g solutions. that's why they choose t-mobile for business. pga of america and t-mobile partnering one, five gene powered analytics to help improve player performance t-mobile's network helps aaa stay connected nationwide to get their members back on and las vegas grand prix joe's t-mobile to help fuel operations for one of the world's largest racing events now is the time to see what america is largest by june network can do for your business. >> he there, brenda it's carol exactly. so which like are we operating on? >> you mean arm it's all connected, asking the right question can greatly impact your future. you share your an orthopedist. >> actually, i'm a sagittarius specially when it comes to your finances, give a question. >> are you a certified financial planner? yes. i'm a cfp professional, cop professionals are committed to acting in your best interest. >> that's why it's got to be a cfb bind years cfp

professional. and let's make a planned out or we are rahm and when trucks or what do you do truck month better than anyone else? >> you do trucks? that work harder and play harder can you do trucks that when by breaking every rule of what a trucks should be, this truck month, would you should do? his driver ram trucks are what we do during ram truck months. >> get new rollback manufacturers pricing with lower starting msrp is plus 1,000 bonus cash on 2024 ram heavy-duty trucks. >> what i look for in a contractor is someone who's reliable and skillful. >> that's where andy comes in with top rated certified pros and over five hundred categories. sanjay, you can connect you with the right pro for any home projects. five top rated certified pros in your area at angie.com? >> he was only 47 aneurysm. >> did he have life insurance? >> do you know you gotta get on it check out, select quote, trust me, the peace of mind. >> it's worth inch life

insurance is too important to put off another day that's why select quote, makes getting coverage you need easy for less than $1 a day now, get up to a $2,000,000 policy with no medical exam and same day coverage. visits, let quote.com, we shop, you save hey, you've seen this was the dish here. a1, your telling me you can get direct tv. good stuff, and you don't need a satellite dish i used to love doing my business on those things. won-sik pigeon, then dishes kept the reynoso far beaks. we just have different i already sold satellite free directv. never thought i'd see the day well or lifespans are quite short extreme directtv

free text him, oh unt to 369369. great teammates trust each other. >> we're going to do a trust falls stand up, you close your eyes for trust. >> what your summary up doc i

told you it was a dummy a tense moment and donald trump's trial today, as judge juan merchan told, trump attorneys, quote, you need to accept my emotions. this in response to the defense says attempts to file motions that were relitigating decisions. the judge had already made. let's bring in cnn's kara scannell. kara, i didn't trump respond to that moment. and how did he carry himself today? you are in that courtroom all day. >> so we'll during that moment, trump hadn't glared at the judge. he had a fixed stare at him as the judge is making a lot of comments that weren't necessarily going in trump's favor at the end of the hearing or what trump thought was the anti stood up to leave and the judge, who is not finished told him, please sit down, sir. but otherwise, during jury selection, which took up the entire morning, there was the routine moments or the 22 jurors were answering those 42 questions. and at that time, trump appeared to be leaning back at times he's closed does eyes other times he was flipping through pieces of

paper that didn't look like they were the questionnaire. they seem to have charts or graphs on them. but then when his attorneys began questioning the jurors and asking them specifically what their opinion was of donald trump again, he turned his chair in their direction. he was craning as next, so he would be able to see them engaged again at that moment when they were being asked specifically their opinion of him. well interesting and kara scannell. thank you very much joining us now, the former us attorney for the southern district of new york, a good friend of the situation room preparer or preet. very much for joining us. what's your reaction to trump's demeanor today? and him saying, again, he would take the stand in his own defense. >> when taking the second question. first, i don't believe it for a minute. his been talking for years with respect to various investigations of him, including by special counsel, bob muller, and impeachment inquiry is that he was sit and give testimony. he's not going to do it. i think he likes to pretend that he has the fortitude and the courage to do that. if you will, with respect

to his demeanor, i will tell you that it may be the case that at rallies and another political functions, when he acts an over ax and makes faces and does his thing. people enjoy it. but this is not a maga rally it's 12 jurors who are sworn to uphold their oath as jurors a sacrosanct duty, civic duty. and in my experience, there'll be watching the defendant in this case, donald trump very carefully, and that they detect that the defendant, donald trump, is not taking the proceeding seriously. or is contemptuous of them, or it's not importing himself with respect towards the judge and the others in the room, that a nurse to his detriment& i guarantee you, todd blanche, i know very well i used to work with him at the southern district of new york is mortified that his client is making faces and doing things like that. and obviously, the jury is going to take into account the evidence as it comes in, but they're human beings and they will form an opinion of the sitting defendant if he if he acts out and it's probably not to his

benefit, good point. looking ahead to monday. can you put yourself in the prosecutors shoes and tell us how you would craft opening statements? >> yes. so i think an opening statement is very powerful and important moment in the trial. in some ways, it's the most important moment at the trial. they've obviously had some exposure to the jury pool because there was a volunteer process but it's the opening statement where the prosecution gets to set forth the basics of the case and the evidence that they're going to show and i think they want to resist being overly dramatic. they want to resist being histrionic. they want to be plain and simple. >> here. the fact here's what the evidence will show. and they also need to be careful not to over-promise they have some interesting witnesses that have been mentioned on your show in the last hour, including michael cohen it's unclear.& i probably believe in the minds of the prosecutors, it's unclear how smoothly that will go, both on direct examination cross-examination, and redirect examination so they will want to tell the jury, we have these witnesses

coming forward, including michael cohen. he's going to tell you this that and the other, but they want to understate it a little bit and see how the evidence comes in. they don't want to gild the lily they don't want to call names, they don't want to be overly aggressive about it. this is a plain and simple case. >> here's what we're going to prove here's how we're going to prove it. >> and listen to the instructions of the judge and use your common sense and you'll come to the only verdict that is appropriate in this case. >> and that's guilty. it should be a good workman like opening statement in my view what do you make of the prosecution's wariness against sharing their witness list with trump's legal team well you know, they have good reason to do that obviously, the defense knows the overall witness list. i think the question was whether or not they should be told the immediate witnesses coming forward so that as a matter of convenience, they know who to prepare for this weekend. and that's if some benefit as a professional. and usually that professional courtesy is extended. but as i think the judge said in the courtroom today, there's good

reason left. prosecutors are wary of that because there's a track record here of donald trump repeatedly calling out those witnesses, his allies saying things about those witnesses. and he wants to prevent that as much as possible. so a little bit of a bold move because it's traditional for that courtesy to be extended. but they have i think the favor of the judge here on deciding not to do so. >> good point. there are free pereira. welcome back to the situation room thank you very much. for joining us. thanks. are coming up. alternate jurors can go from the sidelines to have to the spotlight at a moment's notice, you're taking a closer look at the reasons of when they could step in great teammates, trust each other. we're going to do a trust falls stand up, you close your eyes. i'll say for trust. what we suddenly up doc you. i told you it was a dominant when you're the leader disaster cleanup and

restoration how do you make like it never even happened like never even happened our pharmacy has been in business for nearly 100 years a whopping i have run it for the last 30 american technology is making this more efficient and customer-friendly. >> we use online tools to fill prescriptions, process insurance claims, and mike deliveries but some in washington want to undermine the technology tools we rely on. their misguided agenda. will empower our foreign adversaries and hurt small businesses like ours our leaders need to strengthen, not weaken american technology they need the loan back fast and union scott's turf be the rafi grass. >> it goes glass two times faster and see the loan given you a stronger law of melas bleed it's got to repeal to rapid grass today. it's guaranteed fee. did feed it smile. you found it the feeling

of bindings, psoriasis can't filter out the real you. so go ahead, live unfiltered with the one and only so take to a once-daily pill for moderate to severe prac psoriasis the chance that clear or almost clear skin, it's like the feeling of finding you're so ready for your closeout. are finding you don't have to hide your skin. just your background. once daily. so check two was proven better getting more people clear skin than the leading pill. don't take if you're allergic to so take too serious reactions can occur. so tiktok can lower your ability ready to fight infections including tb, serious infections, cancers including lymphoma, muscle problems, and changes in certain labs have occurred. tell your doctor if you have an infection, liver or kidney problems, high triglycerides or had a vaccine are planned to tick to as a tick to inhibitor tick two as part of the jackie only, it's not known as a tiktok has the same risks as jak inhibitors. fine with plaque psoriasis has been hiding. there's only once of tiktok so ask for it by name. so clearly you so tick to jinx aired bob and i spoke after

every episode. >> he wasn't and i thought he's going to run one of the tours is helping get away i didn't share it out to be his friend when you do when your best friend kills your other? >> best friend are trials, i'm going to be zoo that jinx part two streaming exclusively on macs how do i love thee let me count the ways love can get a little messy good thing? >> there's resolved

i don't want you to move. i'm gonna miss you so much. you realize we'll have internet waiting for us at the new place, right? oh, we know. we just like making a scene. transferring your services has never been easier. get connected on the day of your move with the xfinity app. can i sleep over at your new place? can katie sleep over tonight? sure, honey! this generation is so dramatic! move with xfinity. doctors preferred better science, better results i'm pete muntean at reagan national airport. this is cnn our back to the breaking news. the full jury for donald trump's hush money trial is now seated, and that includes six alternate jurors who will step in if one of the 12 permanent jurors is

excused or dismiss. cnn's brian todd is looking into this forest. brian, anyone of these six alternates could be called upon at any it's time they have to be ready wolf, you know, the term alternate juror may not sound very glamorous, and it really isn't. but experts say in a trial this intense, don't discount the importance of the alternate already two empaneled jurors have been excused from former president trump's hush money trial, underscoring just how crucial the six alternate jurors are, who've just been seated in a case of this length and in a high-profile case, the alternates are as significant as the regular jury because there's a very high likelihood and probability in this case that one or more of those alternates are going to end up on the journey. >> the alternate juror is there to take over a spot on the 12 member regular jury if one of the regulars has to drop out of the trial one of the reasons could be illness they could have a family emergency or

something else could happen like they can't follow the court's instruction not to post things on social media. >> court veterans say the life in limbo of an alternate juror can be strange, unsatisfying, and tougher than it may see. >> let's difficult to be very present and to really focus as much as jurors might need to with the idea in the back of their mind that they might not really need to deliberate at the end of it. all but as one alternate juror in police officer derek chauvin is murder trial said being an alternate doesn't mean the case weighs on you any less heavily every night when i would come home i felt exhausted. >> it was pretty draining, pretty emotional and that juror didn't even know she was an alternate until the end of the trial in some cases, the judges purposely don't inform the jury which of them are alternates and which are regulars until they start deliberating so they don't have that issue of knowing. >> i might not have to deliver aid. do i? really need to listen to this? >> there are six alternate jurors for trump's trial, while that may seem like a lot for a

complex and highly charged case, it may not be enough. >> all right. he appears to have pulled the gloves on council during a o.j. simpson's lengthy murder trial, ten regular jurors were dismissed for failing to disclose something allegedly passing a note or considering book deal, or simply telling the judge i can't take it anymore ten alternates took their place what happens if the trump trial runs out of alternates would be up to the defendant whether or not he would want to consent to a verdict with 11 jurors, but i don't believe that he would do that in this case. and you would have a mistrial. >> the alternates are always important during the actual trial, but don't join the final deliberations unless they're needed. what happens if a regular juror has to leave the case during deliberations. >> what happens then is the real jury has to basically start over their deliberations. they have to deliberate as though they hadn't done the deliberations they'd done with the first with the original juror and start over with the alternate juror what's the best advice for an alternate juror? >> trial consultant? leslie

lss, trying to forget urine alternate participate in everything you can with the other jurors, pay attention to every bit of the evidence pretend that you're one of the first 12 because you may very well be at the very end woolven in the trial like this with its length and intensity, you can count on it. very interesting. thanks, very much, brian todd for that report. >> coming up, we're going to break down the serious security concerns outside court after a man set himself on fire today, more on how new york police are reviewing their protocols that's next great teammates trusting each other. we're going to do a trust falls stand up, you close your eyes before trust what we suddenly up doc you. i told him who is a dummy? >> every day, moore people and more are deciding it's time for a fresh approach to bet food they're quitting the kibble and kicking the camps and

feeding their dogs dog food. that's actually well food developed with that made from real meat and veggies portioned for your dog? and delivered right to your door. it's smarter healthier, pet food get 50% off your first box at the farmers dog.com slash real food you have an excellent warren g warranty, blurring kyi you gotta go you must have american home shield. not you know, i can tell you a appliances in home systems are protected, covered repairs and replacements are taken care of one, she never lie he off cookie dough, american home shield, don't worry, be warranty hi, i'm jason. i've

lost 228 pounds. angola changing your habits as the only way that gets you to lose and gullo is the plan that's going to help you do that. >> just take the first step. go to go low from tried and true to try something new so many ways to save life, ready wallet, happy 3605 by whole foods market so i can take all these trips because priceline has all these amazing deals and that's when i said deal on your right is our in any deal i am the deals the deal's are 30

or heavy price i was born with wings, but psoriasis swooped into clip them. >> it crashed my confidence, but no longer will psoriasis get a piece of me i can love my skin again with fins, alex only been xilinx targets and blocks il 17 a plus f to calm inflammation, i can control my plaques and start getting myself back in zelig helps adults with moderate to severe psoriasis control plaques to deliver clearer skin fast for results that last i will give myself back the freedom of shorts standard where black again, from head to toe most people got 100% clear skin. >> saw him after the first dose serious side effects including suicidal thoughts and behavior, infections, and lowered ability to fight them, liver problems and inflammatory tori bowel disease have occurred tell your doctor if these happen or worsen or if you've had a vaccine or plan to start to get yourself back with them

zealous. >> asked your dermatologist duncan zelig today a little thinking. >> i'm thinking about her honeymoon. about africa as a far hot air balloon rice when with elephants weight 24, safari, great question. >> like everything takes a little planning for what the mine towards a down payment on a ranch in montana with horses. >> let's take a look at those scenarios. >> jpmorgan wealth management has advisors in chase branches and tools like wealth plan to help keep you on track when you're planning for it all the answer is jpmorgan wealth management freeze dryness breakage, new dove tenant one serum hair mask with peptide complex fortifies hair bonds at a molecular level, helps reverse ten signs of damage in one minute, keep living real key he preparing i'm sunlen serfaty in washington and this is cnn we're tracking new concerns around the trump trial after a man let himself on fire

today, just outside the courthouse shortly after the incident, new york city police said security protocols might need to be be reassessed. >> we are very concerned. of course, we're going to review all security protocols. the park was open to the public. but of course, we're going to look at it everything and what the magnitude of what's going on around right here. will reassess our security, what our federal partners let's bring in our chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst, john miller. john give us the latest what's going on well, they're looking into the background of this gentleman while they're looking into the larger security picture, do they need to expand the perimeter? >> do they make do they need to make more of the area around that courthouse a frozen zone? do they need to close the park which is a place where people would go and demonstrators gather. and even if they do that, could somebody do something similar somewhere else all that's on the table and they have the weekend to sort it out. but what we know about this man is he's a 36 year-old man from st.

augustine, florida police down there. have a record of it encounters with him, things that may have to do with being emotionally unhinged. he had in-depth conspiracy theory and called the ponzi papers that he had posted online that has to do with banks cryptocurrency universities, movistar is murder plots. it's very detailed and not much of it has anything to do with donald trump or the campaign. he did have a sign with him that said, trump is with biden and they're about to fascist coup us, which is a sign of how disjointed his conspiracy theories are his driver's license was taped to the sign because he wanted to he wanted get people to know who he was. police theorize the reason he did this. in front of the courthouse, in the park just adjacent to where the cameras were was so that he could get national or global attention to what he was doing.