Is Trump Hoping for a Hung Jury?

Jury selection is now complete in Trump’s hush money trial: Twelve jurors and six alternates have been seated, and opening statements are set to begin Monday. And though a jury of a dozen New Yorkers may seem like a slam dunk for prosecutors — especially considering that some of those jurors acknowledged negative views about the former president — it would only take one to make the case go Trump’s way.

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The 12-person panel would need to be unanimous for a conviction or an acquittal. But if there’s a hopeless deadlock, the judge would declare a mistrial — and for Trump, that might be nearly as good as an acquittal.

In the event of a mistrial, prosecutors could in theory start fresh and force Trump to stand trial again, with a new jury. But it would be a PR disaster for the prosecution and further delay the case. Trump, meanwhile, would hope to win election in November — and if he did, the case would likely freeze.

Ed Morrissey

Not to be Captain Obvious, but a hung jury beats a conviction every day of the week. Trump wants an acquittal, which Politico's analyst seems to concede is probably out of reach because of pre-existing bias among jurors -- which would make a conviction illegitimate. But failing an acquittal, a hung jury is almost as good.

In fact, after the last few days of the trial, the DA might be lucky to get a hung jury. In any other jurisdiction with any other judge, this case wouldn't even make it to the jury. 

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