Judge in Trump fraud trial says his office received hundreds of threats

2023-11-04 00:53:09

The judge presiding over the civil trial for corporate fraud against former President Donald Trump in New York said this Friday that his office has received “hundreds” of threats or signs of harassment during the process in the form of calls, voice messages, emails and packages.

The magistrate, Arthur Engoronrevealed it in a document published today on the court platform in which he argued the reasons for extending to Trump’s lawyers a “gag order” that he already imposed on him at the beginning of the trial to prevent him from making public comments about the staff of the court.

Engoron imposed that order on Trump on October 3at the beginning of the trial, after he published a personal attack against the judge’s secretary on his social networks, and today he ordered that it also be applied to his two lawyers, who said that the exchange of notes between the judge and his secretary during the session were inappropriate.

In his new order, Engoron said that secretaries are officials hired specifically to help him and who work as he stipulates, including offer opinions, legal information and answer your questions, and pointed out that the accused do not have the right to know their confidential communications.

He then rejected free speech arguments from Trump’s lawyers for court staff and said his order is tailored to “protect security” from these people, and will not tolerate “statements” that could contribute to tense political rhetoric and violence.

“The First Amendment right of defendants and their attorneys to comment on my staff is far outweighed by the need to protect them from threats and physical harm“he added.

So far, the magistrate has reprimanded Trump for violating the order and has given him two fines of 5,000 and 10,000 dollars, warning you that there may be more serious consequences including jail time.

In the trial, which will last until December, several alleged illegalities in the Trump Organizationas a documentary falsification, after the judge summarily declared Trump, two sons and two former executives responsible for continued fraud, before beginning the process.

Trump himself is expected to appear as a witness next Monday, called by the Prosecutor’s Officeafter your children have already done it Donald Jr. y Eric, also accused. Ivanka Trump, another daughter, who is not charged, will also testify that week, the judge said.