Judge Juan M. Merchan explained this Friday to the former president Donald Trump what The ‘gag order’ from his New York criminal trial does not prevent him from testifying and that you have every right to do so if you wish.
Merchan, who emigrated from Colombia to the Big Apple with his family when he was a child, made this clarification after a New York businessman he said a day earlier outside court that he could not give evidence because of the measure, Efe news agency published.
The judge noted that the ‘gag order’, which prevents Trump from speaking publicly against witnesses, prosecutors and jurors, It will only come true when the former president is outside the criminal courtroom.
Therefore, he emphasized that Donald Trump is sure to testify if he decides, since then It is a “constitutional and fundamental right.”
Before the beginning of the session this Friday, the Republican informed the media in the halls of the court as well his gag order does not prevent him from testifying, although it forbids him to respond to people’s criticism. Therefore, he admitted that his previous statement was a mistake.
Trump has repeated it several times his intention to take the stand to defend his innocence.
The tycoon is facing 34 felony charges for falsifying accounting records in the first degree to cover up an extramarital sex scandal. In the first three weeks of the trial, the prosecution has already presented seven witnesses.
Former US President Donald Trump, with attorney Todd Blanche, speaks to reporters at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York. Photo: Doug Mills/EFE
A former employee broke down in tears during questioning
Hope Hicks, who worked on former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and was part of his White House team until 2018, He was moved to tears this past Friday when the former president’s legal team began questioning him. in a New York criminal trial.
Because of Hicks’ emotional state, the judge presiding over the case chose to rest the process, which includes 34 charges against Trump, including falsifying business documents to cover up his extramarital relationship with porn actress Stormy Daniels.
Prosecutors were the first to question Hicks, who, despite feeling nervous, kept up with his answers. He was testifying in court the day in 2016 when he spoke to Trump and his right-hand man at the time, Michael Cohen, about Daniels’ request for money to keep the affair secret.
In the first part of his testimony, Trump looked closely at his former staffer’s statements from the stand. However, he later preferred to follow his testimony through the video screen in front of him and after lunch, he was seen sitting in his chair, with his eyes closed.
On Thursday, on his social media account, the current Republican candidate for this year’s presidential election said that he was not falling asleep in court, but instead. He simply closed his “beautiful blue eyes” to listen “carefully.”
Keep reading:
• Trump’s defense tries to discredit ex-lawyer Stormy Daniels
• Trump delivers pizzas to New York firefighters
• More punishment for Trump: Prosecutor’s office wants more fines for ignoring gag order in his NY trial
2024-05-03 22:13:26
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