Trump trial live updates: Former president in court for historic hush ...

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We're pausing our live coverage of the hush-money trial and will be back again tomorrow.

You had reporting from Kayla Epstein, Madeline Halpert and Nada Tawfik from court in New York, and Brandon Livesay, Phil McCausland and Jessica Murphy were editing.

History was made in Manhattan on Monday as the first criminal trial with a former or current US president as the defendant kicked off.

The day started with Donald Trump shuttling from his flat in Trump Tower to the downtown courthouse, where he denied the allegations he faces while briefly speaking to the media outside.

Scores of armed police were on hand, as lawyers for each side debated what evidence could be admitted - including aspects of the infamous Access Hollywood tape - and began to whittle down the pool of New Yorkers who might be jurors.

More than 500 prospective jurors were at the courthouse for the trial, and the first 96 were brought in as a panel to be reviewed by the prosecutors and defence attorneys.

In a matter of minutes, more than half were dismissed because they said they could not be impartial, in one of the most dramatic moments of the day.

The remaining jurors then began to share facts about themselves - including which news outlets they prefer and what podcasts they listen to - and fielded questions from the attorneys.

The judge also spoke to Trump directly to warn him about his conduct in court. He said that his "important right" to attend the trial would be removed if he disrupts the trial in any way.

Trump also faces a potential $3,000 fine for potentially violating his gag order - which does not permit him to insult or threaten - three times on social media. Justice Merchan said they would sort that issue next week.

Outside court, protesters gathered and argued with one another, though the crowd began to diminish as the day wore on.

A visibly animated prospective juror who wants to be known only as Sarah says: “This was my first jury summons and no other would ever be the same."

She feels that it would have been a “cool experience” to serve on this particular trial because of the historic nature of it.

About the much fraught question of “impartiality”, she said that she would have handled it in a professional manner.

“Everybody deserves a fair trial,” she says with a wide smile.

Just before court adjourns, Trump's lawyers make a final request.

Todd Blanche tried to get him excused to attend next week’s US Supreme Court arguments in the presidential immunity appeal in Washington DC, which conflicts with this trial.

The Manhattan DA wants to keep things moving.

Justice Merchan says it’s important for Trump to be here in person.

Blanche says something to the effect of: they don’t think they should be here at all right now. Justice Merchan zeroes in on that sharply, and asks him to explain.

Perhaps sensing a misstep, Blanche says he had previously objected to having the trial during the campaign season.

The judge notes that he had already ruled against that.

Justice Merchan notes that Trump is a criminal defendant and “he is required to be here.”

“I will see you here next week," he said.

Donald Trump has just started speaking to media.

He said some "amazing things happened today".

He then brings up how the judge may not let him go to his son's high school graduation.

The judge told Trump they would make a call on that closer to the date.

He criticises the judge, and the case. And once again makes the unsubstantiated claim that it is "election interference".

He has repeatedly made these types of allegations regarding his legal troubles.

And with that, he walks away and takes no questions.

Justice Merchan has just wrapped up court for the day. He tells prospective jurors not to read anything about the case.

We're expecting Donald Trump to speak to media on his way out.

You'll be able to watch a live stream of that by pressing the play button at the top of this page.

Amid these very long questionnaires there are some moments of levity.

A juror from the Upper West Side neighbourhood of Manhattan says that his radio listening includes whatever's on when he's "in the shower" or driving, and then clarifies he means the station NPR.

A different man, from the Bronx, admits to the court that his girlfriend works for a bank but "I honestly don’t know what she does".

A woman, answering whether she had ever been signed up for emails from Trump, noted that she may have gotten some emails in the past but that she "unsubscribed".

Justice Merchan has just excused a man from the jury panel after finding out his child was getting married on the West Coast in June.

“I think we should be done by then but I can’t promise,” Merchan told the prospective juror. “Only you can decide if you want to roll the dice. But if you’re with us, you’re with us until the end.”

“I think, to be on the safe side, we should excuse,” Merchan then said.

“Congratulations."

I just ran into a woman who said she was part of the jury pool, but not part of the 96 who were called in today.

They never got to her group and they were just now told they could leave. Court is scheduled to finish for the day at 16:30 local time (21:30 GMT).

She said it had been “just a lot of waiting around”.

She says she was not told ahead of time what trial she could be sitting on, which is standard procedure.

On any given day there can be several trials, and names can be assigned randomly to any of them.

There were 96 people in the first panel of prospective jurors brought into the courtroom today.

In a matter of minutes, 63 were dismissed because they said they could not be impartial in Trump's hush-money case.

Now that court has resumed, those 33 remaining people will be asked more questions and we will likely see more excused before the day is out. Then there are hundreds more still waiting to be called to the court room.

Finding an impartial jury in New York is going to take some time, probably more than a week.

It's a blue state, meaning voters are largely Democrats.

And Trump's relationship with the city, where he made a name for himself as a real estate tycoon, is strained, to say the least.

BBC reporter Madeline Halpert reported on the challenges of jury selection for this trial. You can read her coverage here.

While court pauses, let's take a look at what it's like here outside.

It’s getting warmer. The hats and sunscreen in the press pen are out as journalists wait to hear more about the jury selection process taking place inside.

NYPD officers, in their characteristic navy blue uniforms, some wearing sunglasses, are keeping an eye on protesters and passersby.

The atmosphere feels slightly quieter than this morning’s melee.

The court has paused for a short break. Donald Trump and his lawyers have left the courtroom, and the prospective jurors have been excused.

Everyone is curious to hear more from the prospective jurors who were dismissed.

The pool reporters said they heard one in the hallway who was leaving the courtroom saying, "I just couldn't do it".

We have our first juror curveball.

The question was:

The woman being asked, answered: "Yes".

Justice Merchan asks if either legal party objects to excusing the juror.

The prosecutors do not, but Trump's lawyer does.

Ultimately, she was excused, and they refill her seat with another juror.

A reminder that there are 500 prospective jurors here today.

The cameras turned back on suddenly just a moment ago. I can now see 18 people seated in the jury box as voir dire - or questioning of the jury pool - begins.

The prospects are reading their responses to a long jury questionnaire one by one. Trump is holding a piece of paper that appears to be a copy of the question list. He is following along as the first jurors respond.

About half of the first jury panel departed after saying it could not be impartial, and at least nine others were excused for undisclosed reasons.

That should leave about a third of the 96 prospective jurors who just entered the courtroom a moment ago.

We're now at the stage of the day where prospective jurors are answering a list of questions that both legal teams will use to decide on the final panel of jurors.

Some questions are standard, like what neighbourhood do you live in?

Others hint at how tricky it could be to find impartial people in New York, the Democratic city where Trump first made his name as a real estate tycoon. Here are some of the more unique jury questions:

You can read more of the juror questions here.

More than half of the first panel of 96 jurors have been excused after saying they can't be fair and impartial.

We can't see them here on the overflow feed because they cut the video to protect the jurors' identities.

We could hear, however, Justice Merchan calling out numbers of jurors who have volunteered the fact that they cannot be impartial.

From our view from the court camera, Donald Trump looks incredibly sombre right now.

He is fidgeting a lot in his seat. For a moment, as Justice Merchan instructed the jurors, Trump rocked back and forth in his chair.

Then he bent his head and looked down. At some points, it looks like his eyes are closed.

Reporters here with me can't decide if the former president is asleep or just closing his eyes.

Copyright: Reuters

Justice Merchan has explained to potential jurors what Trump has been charged with.

The allegations are that Trump falsified business records to conceal an agreement to unlawfully influence the 2016 presidential election.

"Specifically, it is alleged that Donald Trump made or caused false business records to hide the true nature of payments made to Michael Cohen" - his former lawyer - "by characterising them as payment for legal services".

Prosecutors allege the payments were intended to reimburse Cohen for money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels.

The payment, which was made in the weeks before the 2016 presidential election, was allegedly intended "to prevent her from publicly revealing details about a past sexual encounter with Donald Trump".

Ordinarily, falsifying business records is considered a misdemeanour - or low-level offence - in New York.

But when it is done to conceal a crime - in this case alleged election interference - it can be elevated to a more serious felony charge.