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Impartial. theyre currently going through that 42-question questionnaire with all of those potential jurors looking to fill those five alternate seats, ana, so that leaves just 20 jurors in that potential jury pool now, the former president seated in the courtroom as well. he started the day off with his eyes closed. however, when he heard one of the potential jurors saying they had read "the art of the deal" he popped his eyes wide open. before heading into the courtroom, he did speak to report...

Analyst and anchor laura coates, ys outside the court. laura, were learning more as this process continues, how are things progressing today? >> well, this has been quiet, the de, very exciting at time to know we were that much closer to having the covenant 18 jurors remember, we already have the 12 who are to sit and good will deliberate, then you have to add the six alternates. so there were questions today where they could actually get to that number given that yesterday, even those two jury ...

But look, the anxiety these jurors have, its not just speculative. theres so many people that come into donald trumps legal and political travails who have had their lives destroyed. >> i understand two more alternates have just been seated, so that would be four. so there are only two to go. it looks like we potentially might be on track to get tlooebs at least the opening started, to get the real trial, the meat of the trial underway on monday. so alan, can i run through some things quickly, a...

Six alternates are expected 15 roughly five more, but just a reminder that he could change his mind particularly after what we saw yesterday, two of those jurors getting dismissed after they had been seated. i know there is some concern really on both sides that there could be episodes moving forward, not just your typical episode in terms of a family member getting sick, but also with this view of can they be impartial? this is a very high profile case with a very polarizing defendant. so were ...

Have been following the story. look closely. you were inside the courthouse. what is the latest right now? have there been any other juror dismissed or any returned? >> so one of the jurors this morning that was missing, he didnt show up today. he just came back into court. and the reason the judge asked him that command is because prosecutors rais some questions about the honesty of an answer he gave on the questionnaire as they were doing things, some of their own due diligence. so thats one o...

Reasons for cause so if they have some concern about any of these jurors and it could mean that we could move pretty quickly. the court is getting ready to break for lunch, so all of that will happen once weve returned from the lunch break, but there is now at least 18 jurors in the box to begin the 2nd important round of getting to see if we can fill the seats we thought we only needed 11. now we need 13. >> boris, its so important because the strikes that theyve already used, you dont get them...

I hope they do, yeah. >> i want to bring in nbcs vaughn hillyard who is outside the courthouse. danny cevallos is a criminal district attorney and an msnbc legal analyst. with me here in studio, carol lam, former superior court judge, former u.s. attorney and an msnbc legal analyst. get us up to speed, vaughn, whats the latest from inside the courtroom? >> reporter: and chris, we expect them to be heading in to lunch break here soon, that is after two jurors have been dismissed and excused so fa...

Agree with me, his is somebody who is sophisticated enough to undermine my entire case. what is the mindset behind the prosecution and defense with having a lawyer on the jury or having an educator on the jury? whats the philosophy, the strategy? >> again, i apologize. my dog is agreeing with you. one of the wrinkles that happened because its new york and its unusual, because the foreperson is already determined by the very first juror who is sworn in and seated, who we already know is a gentlem...

It is not for a legal expense and so in addition -- >> because we know he doesnt pay those bills. >> thats right. he doesnt pay his bills. >> now his campaign is paying them, so its a campaign expense, and i think that -- i think the kind of unwavering disdain he has for the process, for the charges levied against him, for the well-being of the jury, and you know, what sue was talking earlier about watching him, you know, vis-a-vis a jury having been through two, you know, prior hearings, hes di...

This is a couple of examples of whats going on in the courtroom. in a minute or so its going to change over, todd blanche, the former presidents attorneys in which theyre going to get their shot at these potential jurors and it moves on to the period where they decide who will get struck from this jury. if they have causal reason to strike them or they want to strike them. they only have four chances either side to do that left. >> so yasmin, stay with us. also keep an eye on that google doc wit...