Alina Habba, the attorney representing former President Trump, has proposed that the jury in the hush-money trial should have been sequestered during the Memorial Day weekend. The purpose of this sequestration would be to prevent any external influences that could potentially impact the upcoming closing arguments scheduled for this week.
In an interview on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Habba expressed his strong opinion that the jurors in this case should have been sequestered. According to him, they are dealing with a situation that is completely unprecedented and unwarranted in America.
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“I have serious concerns about my clients being able to freely enjoy a holiday weekend with their friends and families, especially considering the diverse range of opinions and the constant exposure to news. Whether they are left-wing and watching channels like MSNBC or CNN, my clients worry that they may not receive unbiased news.”
This week, the 12 New York jurors will have the responsibility of determining whether Trump should be convicted on 34 criminal counts. It is crucial for all the counts to have a unanimous decision, otherwise, the case will result in a mistrial.
The ex-president faces 34 charges of falsifying business records for reimbursing his former fixer, Michael Cohen, after Cohen paid $130,000 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in October 2016. The ex-president has pleaded not guilty and consistently refuted any involvement in an alleged affair with Daniels.
The defense team of Trump concluded their case last Tuesday without summoning the former president to testify. The jurors were then dismissed until next Tuesday, when the closing arguments will commence. Jury deliberations will follow soon after.
Closing arguments in the trial have been postponed until next Tuesday due to some undisclosed “issues,” according to Judge Juan Merchan.
Habba contended that the holiday weekend would provide an opportunity for jurors to discuss with their friends who may be affected by what Trump allies commonly refer to as “Trump derangement syndrome,” an informal term used to describe criticism of the former president.
“I’m concerned that they might go back to their friends who have Trump derangement syndrome, lose touch with reality, and return to the jury box with a biased mindset in favor of the Democratic National Committee,” Habba expressed. “I don’t want that. I want the law to be based on facts because if we achieve that, we will not only secure a hung jury, but an acquittal. So, let’s wait and see.”
