In a series of courtroom encounters fraught with tension, Judge Juan Merchan has taken a firm stance as former President Donald Trump’s legal team attempts to delay the upcoming hush money trial. The former president faces 34 counts of falsifying business records related to reimbursements to his then-fixer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 payment to adult actress Stormy Daniels, purportedly to silence her about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The trial is set to commence on April 15, despite Trump’s attorneys seeking a postponement. They argue that the trial should wait until the Supreme Court rules on Trump’s presidential immunity defense in another of his criminal cases and have raised concerns about “prejudicial pretrial publicity.” However, Judge Merchan remains unmoved by these delay tactics, showing his impatience with the defense’s lack of supporting evidence for their claims.
Trump’s attorneys had pushed for the trial to be delayed or dismissed altogether, citing thousands of pages of documents recently turned over by federal prosecutors which they claim revealed discovery violations. However, Judge Merchan was notably critical during a recent court hearing, challenging Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche, “You’re literally accusing the Manhattan DA’s office and the people assigned to this case of prosecutorial misconduct and trying to make me complicit in it. And you don’t have a single cite to support that position?”
The judge’s irritation has become more apparent as Trump’s defense continues to seek trial delays. In a written ruling, Merchan pointed out the Trump team’s strategy, stating, “Defendant, either directly or through counsel, has repeatedly stated publicly that the defense goal is to delay these proceedings, if possible, past the 2024 presidential election.” The judge also implemented a requirement that Trump’s lawyers seek permission before filing any new motions, a step he deems necessary to curb last-minute delay attempts.
Adding to the former president’s legal woes, Judge Merchan issued a gag order on Trump, barring public statements about witnesses, jurors, court staff, and prosecutors other than Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, though the judge himself and Bragg were exempted from this restriction. Merchan’s order came after Trump had labeled Matthew Colangelo, a top hush money prosecutor and former senior official in the Biden-era Justice Department (DOJ), a “radical left from the DOJ” and suggested without evidence that the prosecution was coordinating with the White House.
The pressure on Trump further escalated when Merchan reminded his attorneys of the consequences of “willful disregard” of court orders, indicating they could face punishment for criminal contempt. He emphasized the importance of respect and decorum in the courtroom, stating, “The Court advises counsel that it expects and welcomes zealous advocacy and creative lawyering. … However, the Court also expects those advocates to demonstrate the proper respect and decorum that is owed to the courts and its judicial officers and to never forget that they are officers of the court.”
Relevant articles:
– Trump hush money judge appearing more irritated
– Trump agitates hush money judge as he seeks to stave off NY trial, The Hill, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 19:39:00 GMT
– Trump’s hush-money trial date is set. Here’s what to expect, The Guardian US, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 10:54:00 GMT
– Trump’s New York hush money trial to begin April 15, The Washington Post, Tue, 26 Mar 2024 01:19:55 GMT