NY v Trump: Judge threatens jail time for 'possibly the next president' for future gag order violations

Judge Juan Merchan connected Monday said helium volition see a jailhouse condemnation for erstwhile President Trump if helium continues to interruption the gag bid imposed upon him successful his unprecedented transgression trial. 

Merchan imposed a gag bid connected Trump earlier the proceedings began, ordering that Trump cannot marque oregon nonstop others to marque nationalist statements astir witnesses with respect to their imaginable information oregon astir counsel successful the lawsuit – different than Bragg – oregon astir tribunal staff, DA unit oregon household members of staff.

NY VS TRUMP: THE EVIDENCE PROSECUTORS CAN PRESENT IF FORMER PRESIDENT TESTIFIES

Former President Donald Trump attends the archetypal time of his proceedings astatine Manhattan Criminal Court successful New York City connected April 15, 2024, left. Judge Juan Merchan poses for a representation successful his chambers, Thursday, March 14, 2024, successful New York, right. (Angela Weiss/AFP via AP, POOL/AP)

Bragg and prosecutors person alleged much than a twelve violations of the gag order, and person already fined the erstwhile president $9,000 for those violations. 

Merchan, connected Monday, fined the erstwhile president $1,000 for an further violation, but said it is "clear" that the good — $1,000 per usurpation — is not effective.

The filing states that Trump is "hereby enactment connected announcement that if due and warranted, aboriginal violations of its lawful orders volition beryllium punishable by incarceration." 

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo makes opening statements arsenic erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump watches with his lawyer Todd Blanche earlier Justice Juan Merchan during Trump's transgression proceedings connected charges that helium falsified concern records to conceal wealth paid to soundlessness porn prima Stormy Daniels successful 2016, successful Manhattan authorities tribunal successful New York City, U.S. April 22, 2024 successful this courtroom sketch. (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg)

Merchan said Monday that going forward, the tribunal volition person to see "a jailhouse sentence." 

TRUMP SAYS BIDEN 'SHOULD BE IN JAIL' AND 'ON TRIAL,' WHILE BLASTING NY CASE: 'THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING'

"The past happening I privation to see is jail," Merchan said. "You are erstwhile president and perchance the adjacent president." 

Merchan, though, said that helium worries astir "that step" for Trump, pointing to Secret Service protection. 

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"The magnitude of that determination is not mislaid connected me," Merchan said. "Your continued willful usurpation of the court’s order…constitutes a nonstop attack…and volition not beryllium allowed to continue…It is not allowed to continue." 

Trump and his defence attorneys person argued that the erstwhile president and presumptive Republican statesmanlike nominee should not beryllium bound by the gag order, saying it violates his First Amendment rights arsenic good arsenic the First Amendment rights of his supporters.