Stone Trial Opens With Chaos, Stomach Aches

It only took minutes for Roger Stone's trial to turn into chaos.

Stone, who is facing charges of lying to Congress and obstructing the 2016 Russia investigation, became ill and left the courtroom minutes after the first juror was called to testify. A spectator to the proceedings began to moan and collapse moments later, reports Politico.

Spectators, including media activist Milo Yiannopoulos, appeared confused, but the spectacle did not end there. After a dramatic morning of juror questioning, Stone finally told U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman after a lunch break he "apparently" had "some food poisoning" and did not want to waste the time of the court or jurors. 

Jackson asked him if he understood he had the "absolute constitutional right" to be present when jurors were questioned and excused him.

The morning kicked off, before Stone left for the first time, with the questioning of the first of 80 potential jurors. The woman admitted she had been an Obama-era press secretary for the Office of Management and Budget and her husband still works at the Justice Department, which played a role in Stone's charges. 

She said she did not have strong feelings about Stone, but she did not like Trump. Jackson denied a request from Stone's lawyers to excuse her. 

Stone then got up and asked his wife to join him and they left the courtroom. It was then the spectator collapsed. Stone's daughter, a trauma nurse, attended to the man and after about 15 minutes, he was able to walk on his own. Court personnel had to clean the area where the man was ill, and then Stone returned.

Meanwhile, all of the first four potential jurors were current or former government employees, and Jackson noted she did not think it right to assume that all people who work for the government opposed Trump.

Jackon said she wants a pool of 34 potential jurors, and after that group is picked, both sides will have the opportunity to strike individuals from that pool, until 12 jurors and two alternates are seated.

She added the trial can be expected to last 2-3 weeks, but it will not interfere with Thanksgiving, and they will not have to come to court the day before the holiday unless they want to.

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