Donald Trump was sentenced on Tuesday April 30 to $9,000 (8,400 euros) in fines for contempt for violating the ban on attacking witnesses and jurors, as part of his trial over payments hidden for the benefit of Stephanie Clifford, porn star known as Stormy Daniels.
Judge Juan Merchan delivered his decision in the presence of the former President of the United States, at the opening of the hearing, in the morning in New York, as this trial enters its third week. In his written decision, the magistrate assures that he will not tolerate new violations and threatens the Republican candidate for the November presidential election with incarceration in the event of a repeat offense.
Donald Trump is on trial for thirty-four counts of falsification of accounting documents, intended to conceal the payment of 130,000 dollars (121,000 euros) to Ms. Clifford during the campaign for the 2016 presidential election. The judge imposed the 26 March restrictions on speech concerning in particular witnesses, jurors and court staff.
This decision follows a request made in February by the prosecutor, Alvin Bragg. It calls on Mr. Trump to refrain from any public comments about “known or likely witnesses”, members of the prosecutor’s team – with the exception of the latter -, members of their family as well as of “any juror or putative juror in this criminal proceeding.”
