In the future, incarceration might be a possibility.
During the New York hush-money trial of Donald Trump, the judge determined that the former president had once again breached his gag order. This marks the tenth violation, prompting a stern warning that further infractions could result in imprisonment.
Related posts
During the court proceedings, Justice Juan Merchan directly addressed Trump as “Mr. Trump” and expressed his concern about the $1,000 fines, stating that they seem to be ineffective as a deterrent. The conversation took place in a downtown Manhattan courtroom on the 15th floor.
The judge issued a warning, stating that moving forward, the court will have to take into consideration a jail sanction if it is recommended by the prosecutors.
Merchan emphasized that he had no intention of sending Mr. Trump to jail, acknowledging his status as the former president of the United States and the potential future president.
Merchan expressed that he views incarceration as a last resort.
The judge advised the former president against taking that step, as it would disrupt the ongoing proceedings that are likely desired to be concluded swiftly.
“I am also concerned about the individuals responsible for carrying out that sanction, including court officers, correction officers, and the Secret Service detail,” he expressed his worry.
The judge acknowledged the significance of such a decision.
Merchan emphasized the importance of fulfilling his responsibilities despite the challenges he faces.
He said that protecting the dignity of the judicial system and compelling respect is part of his job. He also mentioned that the continued violations of this court’s lawful order pose a threat to interfere with the administration of justice.
The judge stated that Trump’s continuous criticism of jurors and witnesses amounts to a direct assault on the rule of law. The judge emphasized that such behavior cannot be allowed to persist.
Merchan imposed the maximum fine of $1,000, making it the highest fine that Trump has received for violating the order. This brings the total amount of fines for Trump’s breaches to $10,000. In the previous week, Trump had already been fined $9,000 for nine separate violations of the gag order.
Judge Merchan expressed his reluctance to impose a jail sentence and assured that every possible effort has been made to avoid it. However, the judge emphasized that if deemed necessary and appropriate, he would not hesitate to enforce such a sanction.
In court, Trump seemed unaffected as Merchan, with a confident yet composed tone, issued a jail threat towards him. Despite the judge’s warning, the former president remained relaxed in his comfortable chair.
In relation to an interview conducted by Donald Trump on April 22 with the conservative network “Real America’s Voice,” a fine and contempt finding was issued.
In a 21-minute interview, Trump made mention of the hush-money jury.
“But this judge, uh, has made it clear that I cannot escape the trial. It’s really surprising how quickly he’s pushing for the trial to proceed. It’s unprecedented, the speed at which everything is happening. The jury selection was done so swiftly, with 95% of them being Democrats,” remarked Trump, going against the restrictions imposed by his gag order.
“The majority of the area consists of Democrats. One would consider it as a predominantly Democratic region. It is an unjust situation, I can assure you.”
The judge reiterated his previous statements from the bench in Merchan’s written order, emphasizing the repeated instances of Defendant’s criminal contempt. With this being the tenth time that the Court has found Defendant in contempt, across three different motions, it is evident that monetary fines have proven ineffective in deterring Defendant from violating the Court’s lawful orders.
Prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney’s office are accusing Trump of lying on documents to conceal an illicit $130,000 hush-money payment made to the adult film actress, Stormy Daniels.
The payment, which was sent by Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former personal attorney and fixer, was transferred to Daniels just 11 days before the 2016 presidential election. This payment was made in order to ensure her silence regarding a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. These details were presented as evidence during the trial.
Trump has consistently denied any involvement in an affair with Daniels, who plays a crucial role as a witness in the case.
