Kara McGee, a dismissed prospective juror for former President Donald Trump's alleged "hush money" trial, discussed the "serious" mood inside the courtroom and importance of the former president receiving a fair trial despite her personal feelings about him.
McGee, who works in cybersecurity, spoke with media on Tuesday afternoon about her brief experience in the courtroom after her dismissal.
The dismissed prospective juror said the court asked if she worried about her ability to impartially view the case throughout the trial, noting other prospective jurors had previously been dismissed.
"I, of course, have opinions about the defendant," McGee said. "But everyone deserves the right to have a fair trial."
McGee, who was dismissed because of scheduling, claimed there were people of varying political ideologies in the prospective juror pool.
"Everyone in there comes with a prior opinion," she continued. "But you try your hardest to put everything out of your mind and uphold democracy."
"Regardless of how you feel about Donald Trump, the right to a fair trial is really important," she added.
McGee said she was surprised at how many prospective jurors were quick to admit they could not remain impartial to the case.
"I said I could be impartial because I think that, no matter who someone is in this country, the right to a fair trial is more important to me than my own particular feelings about that person," she continued.
The dismissed prospective juror said the courtroom was "a little bit tense" but "definitely serious," adding she could feel the historical significance of her position in Trump's trial.
McGee added she was "not a fan" of Trump and specifically took issue with the former president's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic during his last year in office.
"I think his handling of COVID-19 was abysmal," she said.
McGee noted she was vaguely familiar with the details of Trump's case, noting "Everyone has heard something about it from somewhere." Prospective jurors were also reportedly asked if they were familiar with political groups including the Proud Boys, Antifa, and QAnon, according to McGee, who said she had not previously heard of some groups.
"I Google. I like to look things up for myself," McGee said when asked what her political affiliation was. "I don't really watch TV news. I think that's a generational thing."
Judge Juan M. Merchan, who is presiding over Trump's trial, has previously issued a gag order for the former president and demanded Trump attend every day of his trial or face arrest.
Trump discussed Merchan's order, noting he will likely miss his son Barron's graduation later this month.
