NEW YORK — Jury selection at Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial was completed Friday with the seating of five more alternates, clearing the way for prosecutors to begin making their case against the former president Monday.

Trump is accused of falsifying New York business records to cover up a hush-money scheme intended to hide damaging information from the voting public in 2016. The charges relate to a $130,000 payment his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels that he allegedly reimbursed him for in 2017, as well as payoffs to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and a Trump Tower doorman.

Just after the slate of alternates was chosen, news broke of a man setting himself on fire in front of the courthouse. The man reportedly threw into the air several pamphlets that continued a QR code linking to an online manifesto, before dousing himself and lighting himself on fire.

Authorities have identified him as Maxwell Azzarello of St. Augustine, Florida.

“To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you,” Azzarello wrote. “But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict.”

Despite the horrific turn of events, the trial proceeded, Al Baker, a spokesman for New York State Courts said.

“The entire court is impacted by this. The court officers rushed to help aid the man. Everyone who works in this building every day, their heart goes out to this incident. The judge himself has expressed concern for him, but in terms of the timing, and the process is unchanged. The court proceeding will continue.”

Trump did not answer questions about the self-immolation as he entered the courtroom when proceedings resumed after 3 p.m.

Four women and one man were selected as the last alternates Friday afternoon, completing the jury selection process. The jury of 12 men and women with a total six alternates will begin hearing the case Monday.

A woman who said, “I don’t believe in watching news” was selected, as well as an audio expert who offered to help solve microphone issues in the courtroom.

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