In an unusual move, the judge Juan Merchan refused to disclose the prosecution’s first three witnesses in advance Donald Trumpdefense team in his secret trial.
Deputy Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass revealed the decision Thursday, in response to a request from Trump lawyer Todd Blanche. Steinglass pointed out how much Trump posts about possible witnesses and even jurors, something that has been done before. affected jury selection.
“I can’t blame them for that,” Merchan said, agreeing with Steinglass. Merchan is no stranger to Trump’s publication historyas Trump attacked his girl over the previous weeks, resulting in silence. Trump’s defenders also do the ridiculous assertion that he has a constitutional right to attack witnesses and jurors.
Merchan’s decision is unusual, according to legal analyst and former prosecutor Renato Mariotti, who note that it could be more effective than a fine.
Trump is facing 34 criminal charges for allegedly paying adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election to cover up an alleged affair. The list of witnesses in this case reportedly includes several of his former employees of the Trump Organization, as well as his longtime White House aide Hope Hicks.
Witnesses who might have the most damaging testimony include Daniels herselfas well as Trump’s former fixer and lawyer Michael Cohen, which allegedly made the payments at Trump’s request. Both Cohen and Daniels have been targets of Trump’s angry posts on Truth Social, especially since the trial began.
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