Judge excuses seated juror in Trump trial after friends, family guess her identity

Judge Juan Merchan excused one of the seven jurors who had been confirmed and sworn in on Thursday after she shared concerns that she could no longer be impartial in the case.

The juror told Merchan that she had been contacted by friends and family members who guessed that she had been one of the jurors based on information released by the press. As a result, she feared she would no longer be able to be impartial.

Merchan excused her and then admonished the press and instructed them not to report on certain qualities of selected jurors. For instance, he said there is no need to report that one juror has an Irish accent or the like. He also ordered the press not to report on juror answers about who their employer is and how big of a company their employer is.

"We just lost what could have been a good juror," Merchan said.

There are now just six jurors who have been confirmed and sworn in to participate in the trial, meaning six more are needed.