The judge in the historic trial of Donald Trump asked his lawyer on Tuesday to moderate the “contemptuous” attitude of the former President of the United States, during a particularly tense day of hearing, according to a relayed report in the American press and on social networks.
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Former porn star Stormy Daniels, central character in Donald Trump’s trial in New York, gave raw testimony on Tuesday about the sexual relationship she claims to have had in 2006 with the Republican candidate for the November presidential election. The latter denies any sexual relationship with her.
AFP
“I understand that your client is upset at this point, but he is audibly swearing and conspicuously shaking his head, which is contemptuous,” Judge Juan Merchan remarked to Donald Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, during ‘an aside discussion.
“It has the potential to intimidate the witness and the jury can see that,” he added, according to the court record.
“You need to talk to him. I will not tolerate this,” insisted the judge, emphasizing the fact that this discussion was held in private so as not to “embarrass” the former president.
The judge repeatedly threatened Donald Trump with prison for violating the ban on verbally attacking witnesses and jurors. He has already sentenced him to several fines for publicly attacking witnesses and jurors on the sidelines of the trial.
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Stormy Daniels’ testimony on Tuesday was particularly anticipated, because Donald Trump is being prosecuted for concealing a $130,000 payment to the actress in order to buy her silence at the very end of the 2016 presidential campaign.
This sum was paid to Stormy Daniels by the billionaire’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, via a shell company. He was reimbursed in 2017 by Donald Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, for expenses disguised according to the prosecution as “legal fees” which are at the center of the lawsuits.
The Republican candidate is being prosecuted for 34 falsifications of accounting documents, which could earn him the first criminal conviction of a former president of the United States and, in theory, a prison sentence.
