Judge accuses Trump of trying to intimidate juror called to clarify ‘anti-Trump’ posts
Donald Trump was accused by Justice Juan Merchan of intimidating a juror who was called in to clarify the defense’s claims of alleged “anti-Trump” Facebook posts.
The judge told Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche that Trump was uttering something to the juror who was “12 feet away from your client.”
“Your client was audibly uttering something,” the judge said, “I don’t know what he was uttering…”
He then offered a stiff warning: “I won’t tolerate that. I won’t have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. I will be crystal clear.”
The flareup came after Blanche challenged Juror No. 1 for cause because he claimed that the woman had made two Facebook posts on the day of the 2020 presidential election, when “President Trump lost the election.”
The juror had previously said they did not have any biases against Trump, Blanche said.
Another Trump attorney, Susan Necheles, said the post was of a “clearly anti-Trump event.”
“This is clearly an anti-Trump event that she’s out celebrating and partying at,” Necheles said.
Prospective juror dismissed for ‘anti-Trump’ post: ‘Get him out, lock him up’
Justice Juan Merchan approved Donald Trump lawyer Todd Blanche’s request to have a potential juror tossed out of the jury pool over allegedly anti-Trump posts.
The juror — No. B38 — posted in 2017 on Facebook: “Good news!! Trump lost his court battle on his unlawful travel ban!!!”
Merchan said if the post had ended there, he might not have granted Blanche’s bid, but it went on to say: “Get him out, lock him up.”
“This is a person who has expressed the desire … that Mr. Trump be locked up,” Merchan said, noting that Trump faces potential time behind bars if convicted at trial.
Prior to the dismissal, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked the juror if he still thinks Trump should be “locked up.”
“No,” the man responded, prompting Trump to crane his neck toward the man and flash him a smirk.