A judge in Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial for hidden payments to a pornographic film actress in 2016 imposed speech restrictions on him on Tuesday, March 26, specifically regarding witnesses, jurors and court staff.
The decision by Judge Juan Merchan, who will preside over the former president’s trial starting on April 15, follows a request made in February by prosecutor Alvin Bragg.
She has been instructed to refrain from public comments aimed at Donald Trump “Known or Potential Witnesses” At the trial, with the exception of the latter, members of the prosecution’s team, their family members as well “Any juror or putative juror in this criminal proceeding”.
The decision was announced hours after the Republican candidate for November’s presidential election published an attack on the magistrate and his daughter on his network, Truth Social.
Already under sanctions
Donald Trump accused Juan Marchan ” Hate “Believing that he should recuse himself not being able to guarantee it “Fair Trial”. He added that the judge’s daughter worked for a company employed by House of Representative Adam Schiff, a Democratic representative who was one of his staunchest opponents in Congress.
Judge Murchan mentions without directly mentioning the publications he is targeting “Statements addressed to this court and one member of his family, the prosecutor and the deputy prosecutor, as witnesses in this case” And recalls his attacks in other trials that led to similar decisions.
Donald Trump is under restrictions on speaking about his federal trial in Washington on charges of illegally manipulating the results of the 2020 election. Sanctions include prosecutors (with the exception of Special Prosecutor Jack Smith, who is investigating the case), courts. staff, and witnesses.
During his civil trial in New York for financial fraud in his real estate empire, the Trump Organization, Judge Arthur Engron banned the parties from making any public comments targeting his team after a publication. “humiliating” Donald Trump issued on Truth Social to his Chief Clerk.
