Live Updates: Prosecutors Say Trump’s Attacks Are Threat to Trial
Live Updates: Prosecutors Say Trump’s Attacks Are Threat to Trial
The jury is back in the courtroom after prosecutors had asked that Donald J. Trump be held in contempt for attacking witnesses and others close to the case. The former president is charged with 34 felony counts related to a hush-money payment to a porn star.
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Looking at the way this is going, I'm genuinely starting to wonder if Donald Trump ends up jailed for contempt sooner rather than later. It seems Merchan's patience has been exhausted.
"Prosecutor Christopher Conroy has just said that prosecutors are not seeking jail time for Trump’s violations of the gag order.
We are not yet seeking incarceratory penalty. Defendant seems to be angling for that … We are asking the court to impose the maximum $1,000 fine for each violation."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2024/apr/23/trump-hush-money-trial-new-york-updates
"Defendant seems to be angling for that" ... so? Why are they taking into consideration what Trump wants? Just treat him like you would a black guy in Texas caught with a little weed.
Now why would they shoot Trump five times in the back while he lays on the ground unarmed?
Nah, he'll get another paltry $5k fine that is unlikely to ever be paid.
Iirc NY law puts a $1000 cap on fines for contempt in criminal cases.
So the slap on the wrist will be even gentler than that.
If it happens at all.
Jail and prison time are both possible though.
11 occurrences so far so 11k
The prosecution made a point of not asking for any jail time in this hearing, but rather a warning that future violations will escalate to that. I don't think the Judge really wants to jail Trump while the trial is ongoing. Trump will get a hefty fine as well as that warning. Well see how long it takes for Trump to end up in Rikers.
But why, though? Trump doesn't give a fuck about fines; time spent in jail is the only thing that has any chance of getting through to him because his wealth/grift can't solve it for him.
I'm willing to bet even just sending him to the holding cells in the couthouse for a couple hours each time he makes another out-of-order outburst would shut him up real quick.
All a short term trip to jail would do is play into the Martyr complex that he and his supporters have. He would complain that he's not getting a fair trial, and low-information voters who are not paying attention will believe it.
While the judge doesn't care about Trump's political prospects, he does care that the trial is fair and that public perceptions don't make it into the jury's deliberations. But marching Trump off to a holding cell will be such an event that it would be impossible to keep it from the jury, and could give Trump a valid avenue for appeal.
However, if the judge establishes a paper trail that proves Trump was given every chance to comply, then it would make it harder for the appeal to succeed. Trump can't very well argue that the court is biased against him when they gave him extra opportunities to comply.
He would complain that he’s not getting a fair trial, and low-information voters who are not paying attention will believe it.
He has and will continue to do this, and worse, and his cult will believe all of it, and worse. We cannot make decisions, especially not exceptions to laws, based on fears of how a fascist cult of supporters will react to it. They are going to do and say stupid/crazy shit, all the time, no matter what.
Because he wants to come off as a martyr to his base, and putting him in jail is exactly what he's aiming for to do that.
Can we try once? Just give him a night, let him know what he's up against?
They will make him one no matter what, deciding not to carry out justice out of fear of an angry and uninformed mob just puts decision making entirely in the hands of that mob.
The Appellate Court likes to see that judges gradually escalate through the options, not just go straight for the harshest one available. It’s likely Marchan (and the prosecution) want to make this case as appeal-proof as possible.
He wants to be jailed for contempt. The jail time for contempt ends before the election. All he has to do is sit in a cell/ home arrest and do nothing and his poll numbers will skyrocket. Most likely there is one or more republicans on the jury that will hung jury the actual verdict. Trump will walk out of prison with 11 to 1 voting to convict and go around saying "The jury found me innocent! The only reason I went to jail was because the judge is a liberal who abuses his power."
Wrong. The longer trump sits in jail the less bullshit he can spew the less appearances he can make and the more guilty he looks.
You think he'll try to force a mistrial somehow?
I mean, of course he's going to try to force a mistrial. It's not like he has a chance in hell of being found not guilty.
Juror #2 follows trump on truth social. Judy nullification is a very real possibility.
He will be given more chances and concessions, there will never be an actual consequence.
I disagree. Now that there is an actual trial he hasn't been able to wiggle out of, I think he's... well, I think he's kinda fucked.
I hope you are right.
Me too.