Posted on 06/25/2024 11:11:15 AM PDT by DFG
A judge on Tuesday modified Donald Trump's gag order, freeing the former president to comment publicly about witnesses and jurors in the hush money criminal trial that led to his felony conviction but keeping others connected to the case off limits at least until he's sentenced July 11.
Judge Juan M. Merchan’s ruling — just days before Trump’s debate Thursday with President Joe Biden — clears the presumptive Republican nominee to again go on the attack against his former lawyer Michael Cohen, porn actor Stormy Daniels and other witnesses. Trump was convicted May 30 of falsifying records to cover up a potential sex scandal, making him the first ex-president convicted of a crime.
Trump’s lawyers had urged Merchan to lift the gag order completely, arguing there was nothing to justify continued restrictions on Trump’s First Amendment rights after the trial’s conclusion. Trump has said that the gag order has prevented him from defending himself while Cohen and Daniels continue to pillory him.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office asked Merchan to keep the gag order’s ban on comments about jurors, court staffers and the prosecution team in place at least until Trump is sentenced on July 11 but said last week they would be OK with allowing Trump to comment about witnesses now that the trial is over.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
Why are prosecutors protected from the First Amendment?
The Manhattan trial is over. The entire gag order should have been lifted. One of the main elements of the First Amendment is the right to criticize our government officials. And oh boy! Do they deserve the criticism!
“The Manhattan trial is over. The entire gag order should have been lifted. One of the main elements of the First Amendment is the right to criticize our government officials. And oh boy! Do they deserve the criticism!”
The trial is not over or complete until sentencing is complete.
Why are prosecutors protected from the First Amendment?
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Because we have to have extraordinary immunity protections for poor little prosecutors who violate laws.
They’re the “good guys” with a tough job and may be targets of all those mysterious cartels.(sarcasm)
What we actually have, is a corrupt law system that favors the prosecution at every step of the process.
The trial is not over until Judge Merchan declares a mistrial, to comport with last Friday’s SCOTUS ruling about jurors agreeing on all aspects of a guilty verdict to be valid.
Merchan will expose himself to vastly-increased personal liability if he further rules against PDJT by imposing a sentence that does not fully comport with the law (think: what SCOTUS handed down 6/21).
Merchan already screwed the pooch. He isn’t going to be able to put the toothpaste back in the tube.
This modification is like breaking a window then offering to pay for replacing half of it.
He needs to go after the whole shebang. He’s got an appeal in on this case. He was gagged during the trial, and shouldn’t be forced to be gagged during the appeal process. If this Judge was sure his gag order wasn’t going to be overturned, he wouldn’t have relaxed any part of it.
“ The Manhattan trial is over.”
I think Merchan is realizing his judicial career may be drawing to an abrupt close and he may be attempting to mitigate how bad it gets for him legally.
Agree he failed to realize when you bow to the party sometimes the ax falls.
They got what they wanted
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