Thread by @MacFarlaneNews

ALERT: Court is in session for Day 1 of $1.6 billion defamation trial of Dominion Voting Systems vs. FOX News

Jury selection process is about to resume

There will be *objections* from attorneys to some of the slides that are planned to be exhibited during opening statements today. Likely ahead of the statements.

Nevertheless, we're underway with the completion of jury selection

Courtroom (which is roughly the size of a middle school cafeteria) is at capacity. Approx 200 people in the wooden benches for spectators

Jury box has 24 tall leather chairs. There are 3 rows of 3 chairs for each legal team. As is custom, the plaintiffs are closer to jury box

Two prospective jurors have asked to speak with the judge off-line (that's common in jury selection process.. when jurors have concerns about possible conflicts)

After jury selection is complete, court advises they'll need a 20 minute break to reconfigure for opening statements

Judge has estimated this will be a SIX WEEK trial. He admonished attorneys a few moments ago... warning he will be diligent about staying on track & staying on schedule

If there are lengthy objections made.. "They'll come out of your time" ... Judge Eric Davis warns attorneys

Here's the courtroom (When it's empty)

The plexiglass is no longer in place... as trial begins

Superior court. 7th floor. Wilmington, Delaware

This is judge Eric Davis

Randomly selected for this Dominion v. Fox case... as is protocol

And... Judge has just urged media in courtroom to type quietly... to avoid "sending the wrong messages" to people in the jury

Then judge said.... I'm not sure how you do that though

The. Typing. Is. Loud.

By approx 200 journalists who are restricted to laptops, not phones

NEW: Dominion’s updated trial exhibit list includes 7000+ items, including dozens of emails from Rupert Murdoch and a series of messages from Sean Hannity to Murdoch

Final item (exhibit 7,021): “Fox and Friends” broadcast from Nov 15, 2020

Other items listed on Dominion’s updates trial exhibit list:

Emails received by Dominion on that read “You evil motherf****”, “Justice doesn’t need witnesses”, “Gitmo soon for you and your friends!!”

The first several items listed on Dominion’s newly-filed updated trial exhibit list include Lou Dobbs show transcripts, Dobbs tweets, “Justice with Jeanine” transcript and social posts .. and video of “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo” videos and transcript.

NOTING... for those who are asking

There is *no* phone dial-in number for the completion of jury selection process.

Only those of us on the 7th floor of courthouse can listen.

Jury selection is rattling along at a decent clip

There will be a jury of 12
And 12 alternates

Huge jury box... 24 seats in the box. Tall, chocolate brown leather chairs

Judge: "We have the 12"

Standby for alternates....

Yes.. they're selecting *12 alternate jurors*

Process is moving at a decent clip.

Judge Eric Davis is now giving instructions to the selected jurors. We're getting close

Just one more alternate juror needed. Standby

Judge is swearing-in final juror. #DominionvFox

Judge instructs jurors:

"You have to fight human nature. You're going to want to talk about the case. But you can't talk about the case"

"You have to refrain from talking about the case with your fellow jurors and any third party"

Judge instructs jurors that they can't talk about the case with family. They can only talk to third parties about the trial *schedule* - to help families plan

"You need to limit yourself to the evidence in the courtroom.... don't do any detective work. Don't be Dick Tracy"

Judge to jurors: "You must stay away from social media. You must stay away from the internet"

"Don't let anyone discuss this case in your presence"

Judge tells Dominion v. FOX jurors they're going to take a brief, 20-minute break... then move to opening statements.

This trial is a "go"

The most updated Trial Exhibit list from Dominion includes approximately a dozen emails from Rupert Murdoch to Lachlan Murdoch (including one with subject line “Trump”)

There are also several exhibits described as “email from R. Murdoch to J. Kushner”

Judge says someone was booted from courtroom for snapping a photo (photo was subsequently deleted)

Judge says person responsible for photo accused others in courtroom of tweeting from courtroom. Judge instructs audience NOT to do so

(I'm in overflow room, where it's permitted)

Judge is giving additional round of instructions.

Then (due to hour): It's lunch break

Then court shifts to opening statements

Standby. Joining @CBSNews streaming live at 12p with latest updates from Fox News defamation trial in Wilmington, Delaware

Stream live and free here:

cbsnews.com/live/

Per my teammates in courtroom. Of the first 12 jurors seated (the non-alternates), there are six men and six women

Trial resumes at 130pm eastern time.

Yes that’s a canopy covering a back entrance to courthouse in Wilmington. And this entrance is behind a gate

Court won’t comment. Staff here says canopy isn’t unprecedented & has been used in other high-profile cases w/ possible threats. We’ve asked DE Capitol police for comment

There's more at stake than $1.6 billion of FOX money

Just filed to @CBSNews with @ebucsfan

===>

We are awaiting return of judge and jury here on 7th floor of courthouse in Wilmington, DE. All others we back in their seats

Capacity crowd in courtroom. And here in overflow room.

Standby (Lunch break was tentatively planned to wrap at 1:30pm eastern)

Judge pledged to keep the trial running on-time

But we are now 35 minutes delayed from resuming after a generous lunch break

And still waiting for judge and jury.

Standby

Attorneys are moving in and out of courtroom. Some are on their phones. Spectators in courtroom have been advised they’re free to move about or use the restroom if needed

This delay appears it’s going to be a prolonged one.

The prospect of opening statements happening or finishing today is declining by the minute

Meanwhile .. this truck is still doing laps outside

During the lunch break, court posted new order from Judge Eric Davis. He has officially ordered a special master to review whether FOX "complied with their discovery obligations" in this defamation case

Note the language below:

"Send invoices only to FOX"

45 minutes till the courthouse closes for the day. No movement. No update from judge. No sighting of the jury

Attorneys in courtroom (those who aren’t moving in and out or occasionally huddling) are swiping at their phones, yawning, sitting idle ….

There are two small private meeting rooms next to courtroom

Lots of comings and goings. At one point the meeting room closer to courtroom was jammed like a clown car

STANDBY: Judge is back. Here comes the jury

ALERT: SETTLEMENT in case

Judge thanks the New Castle County, Delaware jurors for their service

"It was extremely important. Without you the parties wouldn't have been able to resolve their situation"

There will be no trial in Dominion vs. FOX News

Dominion attorney thanks the court and the judge "all of the staff here"... and "have done with the utmost courteousness"

FOX News attorney thanks court too

Judge Eric Davis says this was the "best lawyering" he's ever seen