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Donald Trump arrives in Manhattan for jury duty amid throng of onlookers Donald Trump arrives in Manhattan for jury duty amid throng of onlookers
(35 minutes later)
After a whirlwind weekend campaigning in Iowa, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump took a break from the race on Monday to report for jury duty in a Manhattan courtroom.After a whirlwind weekend campaigning in Iowa, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump took a break from the race on Monday to report for jury duty in a Manhattan courtroom.
“Is his helicopter going to land here?” a wily New York judge, who did not give her name, joked to the Guardian. She confirmed that the crowd outside the courthouse where she works was unusually large, even compared to the crowds that greet other celebrity courtroom guests.“Is his helicopter going to land here?” a wily New York judge, who did not give her name, joked to the Guardian. She confirmed that the crowd outside the courthouse where she works was unusually large, even compared to the crowds that greet other celebrity courtroom guests.
Related: Is this guy serious? Could Republican frontrunner Donald Trump actually win?Related: Is this guy serious? Could Republican frontrunner Donald Trump actually win?
The judge assessed the scene, then settled down with a hot coffee across the street to watch the spectacle, which included about 100 reporters from publications including the New York Daily News, Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight.The judge assessed the scene, then settled down with a hot coffee across the street to watch the spectacle, which included about 100 reporters from publications including the New York Daily News, Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight.
In the hour before the courtroom opened to jurors at 8.30am, the media crowd swelled from about 30 people to the dense crowd of 100 – a testament to the circus that surrounds the celebrity, businessman and Republican candidate. On Friday evening, CNN’s Trump coverage included a story about his wife headlined: “Developing now: former supermodel could be first lady.”In the hour before the courtroom opened to jurors at 8.30am, the media crowd swelled from about 30 people to the dense crowd of 100 – a testament to the circus that surrounds the celebrity, businessman and Republican candidate. On Friday evening, CNN’s Trump coverage included a story about his wife headlined: “Developing now: former supermodel could be first lady.”
Tourists snapped photos as jurors waived their summons at court guards, trying to push past the crowd. Frantic New Yorkers updated friends as they walked by, one woman describing the scene to a person she was speaking with on the phone as “all this TV bullshit with The Apprentice and everything”.Tourists snapped photos as jurors waived their summons at court guards, trying to push past the crowd. Frantic New Yorkers updated friends as they walked by, one woman describing the scene to a person she was speaking with on the phone as “all this TV bullshit with The Apprentice and everything”.
When the flaxen-haired presidential candidate finally stepped out of a black stretch limousine on to the court curbside, reporters crushed in, ignoring courthouse police. Trump’s brows furrowed and his face was pinched as he nudged through the crowd, indicating more discomfort with the media scrum then his bombastic comments would suggest. Nonetheless, he bumped fists with one reporter and signed an autograph for another onlooker.When the flaxen-haired presidential candidate finally stepped out of a black stretch limousine on to the court curbside, reporters crushed in, ignoring courthouse police. Trump’s brows furrowed and his face was pinched as he nudged through the crowd, indicating more discomfort with the media scrum then his bombastic comments would suggest. Nonetheless, he bumped fists with one reporter and signed an autograph for another onlooker.
Developing now! pic.twitter.com/NblSaPQ39sDeveloping now! pic.twitter.com/NblSaPQ39s
He continued up the courthouse steps, following in the footsteps of the hundreds of jurors called on to perform their civic duty that day for the US judicial system.He continued up the courthouse steps, following in the footsteps of the hundreds of jurors called on to perform their civic duty that day for the US judicial system.
“It’s my duty and I’m happy to do it,” Trump told reporters. “I look forward to it. I’m ready.”“It’s my duty and I’m happy to do it,” Trump told reporters. “I look forward to it. I’m ready.”
When pressed further on whether he truly wanted to serve, he said: “Not particularly, but we have to do it.”When pressed further on whether he truly wanted to serve, he said: “Not particularly, but we have to do it.”
Inside the court, the Associated Press reported that 75 or more potential jurors greeted him with murmurs.Inside the court, the Associated Press reported that 75 or more potential jurors greeted him with murmurs.
A court officer escorted him to a seat in the front row, and court officers’ union President Dennis Quirk said a special team of uniformed and plainclothes officers was brought in to help handle the media presence while ensuring all regular posts were covered. Quirk said that was standard for any high-profile person. A court officer escorted him to a seat in the front row, and court officers’ union president Dennis Quirk said a special team of uniformed and plainclothes officers was brought in to help handle the media presence while ensuring all regular posts were covered. Quirk said that was standard for any high-profile person.
Accompanied by an unarmed private security guard, Trump arrived in time to catch the end of an instructional video about jury duty basics, and he filled out a juror questionnaire asking about biographical basics, occupation, hobbies, experiences with crime and courts and whether the prospective juror was “actively involved in any civil, social, union, professional or other organizations”.Accompanied by an unarmed private security guard, Trump arrived in time to catch the end of an instructional video about jury duty basics, and he filled out a juror questionnaire asking about biographical basics, occupation, hobbies, experiences with crime and courts and whether the prospective juror was “actively involved in any civil, social, union, professional or other organizations”.
Jury assembly supervisor Irene Laracuenta told the possible jurors that their commitment would be either one day or one civil trial, depending on whether they were selected.Jury assembly supervisor Irene Laracuenta told the possible jurors that their commitment would be either one day or one civil trial, depending on whether they were selected.
At jury duty appearance, @realDonaldTrump sports a blue - and - white striped tie pic.twitter.com/5wOtbPMCdwAt jury duty appearance, @realDonaldTrump sports a blue - and - white striped tie pic.twitter.com/5wOtbPMCdw
“No one no one gets special treatment,” Laracuenta said. “No one gets special treatment,” Laracuenta said.
If Trump is not picked for a jury by the end of Monday, he is exempt from jury duty for the next six years. Jurors who do get chosen are told to expect to sit for at least one week, but trials can last for months.If Trump is not picked for a jury by the end of Monday, he is exempt from jury duty for the next six years. Jurors who do get chosen are told to expect to sit for at least one week, but trials can last for months.
Later in the morning, four uniformed court officers guarded the entranceway to a hallway as Trump took a 20-minute breather to talk on his phone in the hall. While returning to the jury assembly room, he took a selfie with an attorney he encountered and signed a sketch artist’s drawing.Later in the morning, four uniformed court officers guarded the entranceway to a hallway as Trump took a 20-minute breather to talk on his phone in the hall. While returning to the jury assembly room, he took a selfie with an attorney he encountered and signed a sketch artist’s drawing.
“Beautiful,” he said.“Beautiful,” he said.
Trump was fined $250 earlier this year for not responding to multiple jury duty summons in the past few years, according to the New York Times.Trump was fined $250 earlier this year for not responding to multiple jury duty summons in the past few years, according to the New York Times.
Michael Cohen, an executive vice president at the Trump Organization and Trump’s special counsel, said that the summonses had been sent to an address where Trump did not live and the fine had been waived. “It is impossible to know if you are being asked to serve when the jury selection documents are sent to someone else’s home,” Cohen said. Michael Cohen, an executive vice-president at the Trump Organization and Trump’s special counsel, said that the summonses had been sent to an address where Trump did not live and the fine had been waived. “It is impossible to know if you are being asked to serve when the jury selection documents are sent to someone else’s home,” Cohen said.
Trump’s appearance in court was fresh off the release of his policy paper – an unorthodox piece of anti-immigration rhetoric that argues: “In short, Mexico has taken the United States to the cleaners.”Trump’s appearance in court was fresh off the release of his policy paper – an unorthodox piece of anti-immigration rhetoric that argues: “In short, Mexico has taken the United States to the cleaners.”
One of the people huddled in the crowd through the morning brandished his allegiances after Trump entered the courtroom.One of the people huddled in the crowd through the morning brandished his allegiances after Trump entered the courtroom.
“Trump 2016 – it’s going to be a landslide,” said city tour guide Joe Lepore. “Get used to it, America.”“Trump 2016 – it’s going to be a landslide,” said city tour guide Joe Lepore. “Get used to it, America.”
The Associated Press contributed to this reportThe Associated Press contributed to this report