A new order has been issued by the judge presiding over the fraud trial of Trump, prohibiting attorneys from making any further statements after a disagreement over a clerk.
case ruled that the evidence presented was insufficient to prove the defendant’s guilt.
The presiding judge declared that the evidence presented was inadequate to establish the defendant’s culpability.civil fraud trial
A new restriction was issued on Friday for lawyers involved in the case against ex-President Donald Trump and other defendants, prohibiting them from publicly discussing the judge’s conversations with his staff.
Judge Arthur Engoron made the decision following a lengthy exchange with Christopher Kise, a member of Trump’s defense team who raised concerns about Engoron’s frequent discussions with his law clerk, Allison Greenfield. During the court proceedings on Friday, Kise suggested that Greenfield may have a political bias against Trump and questioned the amount of communication between her and the judge during the trial.
Engoron rejected these arguments in court and reiterated his decision in a written order, deeming them to be “completely unconvincing.” The order forbids all lawyers involved in the case from making any public comments, whether in or out of court, that mention any confidential communications between myself and my staff.
Judge Engoron is presiding over the lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James against Trump, his two eldest sons, the Trump Organization, and multiple executives in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan. The lawsuit claims that the defendants conspired to deceive and manipulate the value of the company’s properties and Trump’s personal assets over a period of ten years. Engoron has already ruled that the Trumps and their company are responsible for committing business fraud.
This week, all defendants have testified and denied any wrongdoing.
is about the legal principle of prior restraint.
The dispute regarding the restriction on speech pertains to the legal concept of prior restraint.
On October 3rd, during the second day of the trial, Engoron presided. issued a
A restriction on communication has been imposed.
The court has prohibited Trump and others from talking about their staff members in public. This decision was made after a negative post was shared on Trump’s Truth Social account. Trump has been penalized twice for breaking this rule, with the most recent fine being $10,000 after he made a comment outside of the courtroom that appeared to mention Greenfield.
During the court session on Friday, Kise expressed concerns about potential political prejudice in the case. He referenced a report from the conservative news site Breitbart News regarding Greenfield’s political contributions. Kise stated that he will continue to express his concerns to ensure they are documented in the court records. He also mentioned that the defense team may need to consider seeking a mistrial.
Engoron stated that he was not informed about the report, but reprimanded Kise for implying that he or his clerk are influenced by political motives. He expressed disappointment that the situation has reached this point and is focused on progressing with the trial and performing his duties to the best of his ability.
Engoron’s written order
He put his reprimand into writing, ordering that there be no further discussions about his interactions with his staff on Friday afternoon.
According to Engoron, the lawyers representing Trump have continuously made unsuitable comments about my Head Law Clerk, falsely claiming that she is biased against them and has inappropriately influenced the trial.
The lawyers representing the defendants have given lengthy speeches claiming that it is not appropriate for a judge to communicate with a law clerk while proceedings are ongoing. They also argue that exchanging notes between a judge and a law clerk creates an inappropriate “appearance of impropriety” in this particular case. However, the judge stated that these arguments are unfounded.
Engoron stated that his clerks are public servants and are carrying out their duties according to his instructions, which includes responding to his inquiries. He also stated that the defense team does not have the right to access the private communications between himself and his court staff, and that he will continue to seek their advice and guidance without any restrictions for the rest of the trial.
The individual stated that their workplace has received a large number of bothersome and intimidating forms of communication such as phone calls, voicemails, emails, letters, and packages since the trial began. They believe that while defendants and their lawyers have the right to speak about their staff, it is more important to safeguard them from potential harm and danger.
He stated that failure to comply with the order will lead to severe consequences.
Reporting was contributed by Graham Kates.
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Source: cbsnews.com