Trump trial live: Full jury sat as ex-president faces hearing over potential testimony

A spokesperson for the Manhattan Criminal Court told reporters that the incident would not delay court proceedings.

Dave, a man who witnessed the individual set himself on fire outside of the New York Criminal Courthouse this afternoon, described a horrific and sad incident

“Papers clattered on the ground and that caught our attention well my attention anyway and I kinda wondered ‘well what are those papers’,” Dave told The Independent’s Alex Woodward.

“But then he pulled out a can and poured it over himself.”

The man who self-immolated has not been identified. Local law enforcement extinguished him and quickly rushed him to a nearby hospital. It is unclear what condition he is in.

Dave said people around him were “horrified” and became screaming. The incident happened so quickly, nobody was able to stop it.

“It’s awful to see that,” he said, visibly shaken.

The hearing pertaining to content that can be used during Donald Trump’s possible cross-examination will begin at 3:15pm.

It is known as a Sandoval hearing – named after a court case that set a precedent requiring criminal trials to hold a hearing to determine what prior misconduct be used during cross-examination if the defendant testifies.

Mr Trump has indicated he wants to and will testify in the New York criminal trial.

Prosecutors told Judge Juan Merchan they would bring up prior court cases that Mr Trump, or the Trump Organization, is involved in. This includes the E Jean Carroll defamation case, the Trump Organization criminal tax fraud case and more.

Dave is just a spectator at the courthouse, who wasn’t able to get in this morning, and there was a small demonstration in the park. He heard the clattering of papers and turned to look. There were lots of neon-colored pieces of paper, what looked like postcard-sized pamphlets. He then saw a man pour a liquid on himself.

A breeze just carried a bunch of pamphlets near a fence. It’s unclear what they said but the title read “The True History of the World.” New York police officers scrambled to the fence to pick them up

The person on fire outside of the Manhattan Criminal Court self-immolated, according to reports.

He was in the Collect Pond Park, directly across from the courthouse entrance, behind barricades that have been placed for supporters to protest.

The Independent’s Alex Woodward reports that the area is “filled with a handful of police and fire crews.”

“Some smoke is coming off the cement, where some ash remains.”

An individual is on fire outside the Manhattan Criminal Court where jury selection has just wrapped up in Donald Trump’s criminal trial, according to reports.

It is unclear if this individual set themselves on fire or if it was accidentally.

All 12 jurors and six alternates have been seated for Donald Trump’s first criminal trial, which will begin in earnest on Monday with opening arguments.

Five final alternate jurors were selected on Friday, concluding a four-day week of jury selection to begin the first-ever criminal trial of an American president.

The former president, craning his neck to watch a final pool of potential jurors, leaned in his chair and scribbled notes at the defence table as a group of Manhattan residents was quizzed about their opinions of him.

“I believe we have a full panel,” New York Justice Juan Merchan told the courtroom on Friday afternoon, after seating five alternates.

Alex Woodward reports from Manhattan Criminal Court:

The final alternate needed to complete the jury has been chosen.

Seat 20 is alternate juror #6, closing out jury selection in Donald Trump’s hush money trial.

“We have a full panel,” Judge Juan Merchan said.

After some back-and-forth on challenges to jurors, a fifth alternate has been chosen.

Seat 5, a woman who lives in Chinatown, is alternate juror #5