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.

  • RunawayFixer@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    I think many consider witness intimidation to be a big thing. Threatening judges/advocates/… is big, doxing their families as a form of intimidation goes beyond even that. They should have never let them (not just Trump, but also others who were making threats or encouraging others to make threats) get away with it.

    That it gets a pass as “not bad enough” is indicative of how far the USA civil society has fallen.