Judge warns Trump of imprisoment if jurors, witnesses are harassed

The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s Manhattan “hush money” trial warned of potential imprisonment if the former president persisted in harassing witnesses and jurors, following repeated violations of a court-ordered gag order. Justice Juan Merchan issued this ultimatum after finding Trump in criminal contempt for a tenth time, having imposed the maximum fine of $10,000 allowed by New York State law.

“Continued breaches may lead to jail sanction,” Merchan cautioned Trump, highlighting the gravity of such a decision and the constitutional complexities involved, especially given Trump’s status as a presidential candidate.

The judge’s warning stemmed from Trump’s criticism of the jury’s composition in a recent television interview, which Merchan deemed as casting doubt on the trial’s integrity and raising safety concerns for jurors and their families. While Merchan didn’t penalize Trump for other remarks that prosecutors argued violated the gag order, he noted that certain comments could be construed as protected political speech in response to criticism.

via FT