Prosecutors made the unusual decision this week to remain almost entirely mum about the order in which they planned to call their first witnesses in former President Donald Trump’s hush

Prosecutors made the unusual decision this week to remain almost entirely mum about the order in which they planned to call their first witnesses in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York.

Joshua Steinglass, a prosecutor working on behalf of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, said Friday evening he would let Trump’s attorneys know the name of their first witness on Sunday night, the day before opening arguments in the case are set to begin, according to a report from the courtroom. Trump’s defense team had asked for the names of the first three witnesses that prosecutors would call.

…

“Mr. Trump has been tweeting about the witnesses," Steinglass told Judge Juan Merchan. "We’re not telling them who the witnesses are.”

Blanche then asked Merchan if he could have the information if he promised Trump would not post on social media about the witnesses, to which Merchan replied that he did not believe Blanche could make such a vow.

  • @qwertyqwertyqwerty
    37•29 days ago

    People only need to go to jail or prison for crimes. Witness intimidation is a crime.

    • @girlfreddy@lemmy.ca
      3•29 days ago

      The thing is where will you house the orange asshole’s Secret Service detail in a prison?

      That’s gotta be a huge drawback for any judge to send him to prison during a trial.

        • @girlfreddy@lemmy.ca
          11•29 days ago

          If a U.S. President Goes to Prison, Does the Secret Service Go, Too?

          Under current United States federal law, all former presidents are entitled to lifetime protection from the Secret Service. Barring an act of Congress or a presidential executive order, the Secret Service is bound by law to protect former presidents for life. There aren’t any exceptions listed in the statute governing the protection of former presidents.

          Trump’s various indictments have left many wondering if the Secret Service would accompany Trump (or any other convicted former president) to prison.

          “Yes, no question,” said Ronald Kessler, author of two books about the Secret Service: “In the President’s Secret Service” and “The First Family Detail.” “There wouldn’t be a Secret Service agent inside his cell, but I expect that there would be two agents outside of his cell, two agents in the corridor leading up to the cell block and another two agents at the entrance to the prison.”

          Other commentators, including a former Secret Service agent, have said that as few as two Secret Service agents could be posted at the prison, but Kessler called that “crazy.”

          *** There are multiple links in the article that I haven’t transferred here.

          • borari
            12•29 days ago

            Personally I think that any former president who winds up incarcerated should have to serve their time in the military side of Leavenworth, but that’s just me. The Secret Service would have a much easier time integrating into a system run by MPs than civilian prison guards.

            • @mPony@lemmy.world
              4•29 days ago

              There’s got to be a spare supply closet somewhere: use that. and make sure they don’t use Epstein-brand video cameras.

          • @snooggums@midwest.socialEnglish
            3•29 days ago

            “Don’t deserve” is a completely different thing that “Won’t get” which seems important to point out because your response is about the latter.

      • @qwertyqwertyqwerty
        9•29 days ago

        Is that something for a judge to take into consideration though, or for a warden?