judge supervising former judge President Donald Trump's criminal trial A New York court held him in contempt of court for violating the gag order for the 10th time and warned him on Monday that future offenses could result in prison time.
Judge Juan Melchan said Trump violated the order on April 22 when he made comments about the political makeup of the jury.
“The jury was chosen very quickly. 95% of them were Democrats. Almost all of them in this region are Democrats,” Trump said in an interview with the network Real America's Voice. “I'm telling you, this is a very unfair situation.”
In his written order, Marchan said Trump's comments “not only call into question the integrity and, by extension, the legitimacy of these proceedings, but also reinvigorate fears for the safety of jurors and their loved ones.” There is,” he said.
He imposed a $1,000 fine, the maximum allowed under state law.Last week Mr. Machan Trump fined $9,000 for nine violations on social media and postings on his campaign website. He said Monday that the fines have not had the intended deterrent effect and that future violations could land Trump in jail.
“Going forward, this court will have to consider any recommendation for a prison term,” Marchand told the court when the trial resumed on Monday.
He said the “last thing he wants to do is put Trump in jail” because it would disrupt the trial and complicate matters for the Secret Service and court officials tasked with protecting the former president.
“I have not forgotten the gravity of such a decision,” he said. However, violating the gag order “corresponds to a direct attack on the rule of law, and this cannot be allowed to continue.”
President Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, but he has maintained his innocence.
President Trump's gag order
Jane Rosenberg
Merchan The original gag order was issued. March, before the trial began. Trump is prohibited from commenting on potential witnesses, potential jurors, court officials, prosecuting attorneys, or anyone else involved in the case.judge later expanded The order was meant to protect Trump's family after he attacked his daughter over her consulting work with Democratic candidates and progressives.
The gag order does not prevent Trump from criticizing Marchand or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Marchand found that Trump violated the orders in nine out of 10 cases brought forward by prosecutors in previous motions last week. In Monday's order, he considered four more violations, but found only one breached the gag order.
The other three include two comments about Michael Cohen, President Trump's former lawyer and a key witness in the case, and one comment about former media executive David Pecker, who testified earlier in the trial. It was included. Trump called Cohen a “convicted liar” and said Pecker had been “very kind” to him during his campaign hiatus.
Marchan determined that these three instances did not constitute violations. He said comments about Cohen could be considered “protected political speech made in response to a political attack.” Similarly, Marchan said he could not determine that the statements about Pecker “constituted a veiled threat against Pecker or other witnesses.”
But Marchan said Trump's interview with Real America's Voice violated the order and that he had repeatedly warned Trump not to talk about the jury.
”[T]His court found that [prosecutors] established the elements of criminal contempt beyond a reasonable doubt. “This court's expansion order is lawful and clear,” he said, adding, “Defendant violated the order by making public statements about jurors and how they were selected.”
Marchand also threatened Trump with prison time for future violations of last week's contempt conviction. He reiterated that warning on Monday, but said he would not order jail time for this latest offense because it came after the first sentence.
“Since this offensive comment was made prior to the court's April 30 ruling and the public is seeking only a monetary penalty, the court will again fine the defendant $1,000. Deaf,” he wrote. “However, as this is the 10th time, across three separate motions, that this court has found a defendant in criminal contempt, a fine alone will not deter the defendant from violating the court's statutory orders. It is clear that it is not, and will continue to be, insufficient.
Marchan wrote that Trump “does hereby give notice that future violations of lawful orders will be punished by imprisonment, where appropriate and justifiable.”
