Focus group shows why prospective Trump jurors are 'too knowledgeable to be unbiased'

10 January 2024

During the voir dire or jury selection process for Donald Trump's four criminal trials, prosecutors will try to avoid ultra-MAGA jurors who refuse to believe, regardless of evidence, that he did anything wrong.

Trump's defense lawyers, meanwhile, will try to exclude ultra-progressive jurors who are open about their total disdain for him.

In an article published by the conservative website The Bulwark on January 10, two leaders of the research firm Engagious emphasize that finding jurors who don't have strong opinions about Trump is next to impossible — even if they are centrist and middle-of-the-road in their political views.

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Engagious President Rich Thau and Matt Steffee, the firm's vice president of research services, recently put together focus groups consisting of "11 North Carolina Trump-to-Biden voters" — in other words, voters who are neither ultra-MAGA nor ultra-progressive. All of them voted for Trump in 2016 but voted for Joe Biden in 2020.

"All of them told us, on December 12, that Donald Trump can get a fair trial in his upcoming criminal cases — but only two say they personally could judge Trump fairly if, hypothetically, they were jurors," Thau and Steffee explain. "In short, they seem confident that other random Americans will be able to perform a task they themselves are unable to perform."

The Engagious researchers continue, "In conducting these focus groups, we uncovered two reasons why seating an impartial jury will be extremely challenging. First, prospective jurors are too knowledgeable to be unbiased. Second, jurors worry Trump will twist the process to achieve his ends."

The North Carolina residents were candid and forthcoming in their comments. For example, 48-year-old Shane told Engagious, "I'm biased already. I have my opinions of him already, and I don't think any trial, depending on what the topic is, is going to change it. I'd be swayed for sure. I'd be excused."

Similarly, 47-year-old Danielle told Engagious, "I know too much. I've seen too much. Beyond being a woman, being a person of color, seeing the things that have gone down — January 6th. It's a lot. I would just say that I know for a fact that I could not (judge Trump fairly)."

Michael, a 40-year-old Charlotte resident, and 58-year-old Amber fear the possibility of jury tampering.

Michael told Engagious, "(Potential jurors) might just be a little worried about someone contacting them from the outside to influence them. (Trump) knows a lot of high-profile people. Who knows who he could hire to keep an eye out on you and what you think and what your life's about, to see what you're thinking."

Amber told Engagious she is worried about possible "intimidation" of jurors "even before the verdict" and "inadequate protection" for them.

Similarly, 61-year-old John told Engagious, "I would be concerned and wary (of being) in danger of threats or death threats, or any kind of threat by any Trump supporters — and my personal information being exposed or put out in public domain so that I could be contacted and harassed in any way."

Read Rich Thau and Matt Steffee's full Bulwark article at this link.

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