Judge Warns Trump of Potential Jail Time For Violating Gag Order.
Former US President Donald Trump, who is currently facing a criminal trial in connection with the payment of hush money, received a warning from Justice Juan Merchan. The judge cautioned Trump that any further violations could result in imprisonment after he violated a gag order. According to news agency Reuters, the former President was fined $1,000 and held in contempt of court for the 10th time on Monday.
Expressing concern over Trump’s repeated violations of the order, the judge noted that the previous nine $1,000 fines had failed to deter the wealthy businessman. The order prohibits Trump from publicly discussing the jurors and witnesses involved in the case.
At the start of the 12th day of the trial, before the jury entered, the judge stated, “I do not want to impose a jail sanction and have done everything I can to avoid doing so. But I will if necessary.”
The trial centers around the hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels during the final stages of the 2016 US general elections. Reuters reported that imprisonment is an unprecedented step in this case.
Following Merchan’s ruling, jurors heard testimony from Trump’s former employees aimed at strengthening the prosecution’s argument that Trump falsified evidence
