Lawyers in Donald Trump's historic criminal trial have selected 12 jurors who will assess his guilt or innocence over the coming weeks in a case stemming from a hush-money payment to an adult film actress.
Lawyers for the defence and the prosecution still must select alternate jurors for the trial, the first ever in which a former US president is the defendant.
Earlier in the day, the judge overseeing the trial dismissed a juror who said she felt intimidated that some personal information was made public.
Justice Juan Merchan also excused another juror after prosecutors said he may not have disclosed prior brushes with the law.
Mr Trump's outsized public presence created unique problems during the jury selection process, which started on Monday.
Roughly half of the first 196 jurors screened in heavily Democratic Manhattan were dismissed after saying they could not impartially assess the Republican politician's guilt or innocence.
Mr Trump's criticism of witnesses, prosecutors, the judge and their relatives in this case and others has also sparked concerns about harassment, prompting Justice Merchan to impose a partial gag order.
Justice Merchan dismissed the juror who said she felt intimidated after family, friends and colleagues had deduced that she had been selected for the trial.
"I don't believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased, and let the outside influences not affect my decision-making in the courtroom," the juror said.
Mr Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, also faces criminal cases in Washington, Georgia and Florida, but the New York case is the only one certain to go to trial this year.
Officials involved in those cases have reported receiving death threats and harassment after being criticised by Mr Trump.
Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty in all four cases and has said, without providing any evidence, that they are part of a broad-ranging effort by allies of Democratic President Joe Biden to hobble his candidacy.
A conviction would not bar him from taking office.
Warned by judge
Mr Trump has been ordered by the judge to attend every day, forcing the scandal-tainted real estate tycoon to exchange the campaign trail for the unglamorous confines of a rundown courthouse.
The judge has made it clear he will tolerate none of Mr Trump's habitual grandstanding, sternly warning him earlier this week when he began to mutter and gesture towards prospective jurors.
"I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom," Justice Merchan said.
He has also warned Mr Trump against intimidating people connected to the case on social media.
The judge scheduled a hearing next week to consider whether Mr Trump should already be held in contempt for violating a partial gag order prohibiting him from attacking witnesses, jurors, court staff or their families.
After an empanelled juror was excused, Justice Merchan asked reporters covering the trial to stop providing a physical description of the potential jurors and not to identify their place of employment.
If convicted, the twice-impeached Mr Trump would potentially face prison, but legal observers have said fines would be more likely.
