1 of 5 | Former President Donald Trump is seen leaving Trump Tower in New York City in April. Trump appeared remotely Tuesday in a Manhattan courtroom, where a judge warned him about sharing evidence related to his 34-count criminal indictment before setting a trial date of March 25, 2024. File Photo by John Nacion/UPI |
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May 23 (UPI) -- Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday appeared remotely in a New York City courtroom, where a judge warned him about sharing evidence related to his 34-count criminal indictment before scheduling the trial for March 2024.
New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchen set the trial date for March 25, 2024, which will take place during the Republican Party presidential primaries, and cautioned Trump against sharing any evidence turned over to his legal team during discovery.
At Tuesday's hearing, Trump was seen on video wearing a navy suit as he sat with his arms crossed at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. The former president only spoke to confirm he had received a copy of the protective order, saying, "Yes, I do."
Trump's attorneys wrote in a May 1 filing that they opposed the protective order because it "would be an unprecedented and extraordinarily broad muzzle on a lead contender for the presidency of the United States."
The protective order bars Trump from sharing any documents or other evidence Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will turn over to Trump's attorneys that are not already in the public.
Merchen's order specifically refers to publicly disclosing "any news on social media platforms, including, but not limited to, Truth Social, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, Snapchat or YouTube, without prior approval from the court."
"He understands that he has to comply with the order, and if he doesn't do so, he's violating your order," Trump's attorney Todd Blanche told the judge Tuesday, while reiterating that the former president remains concerned about the order infringing on his First Amendment rights.
Mechan reminded Trump that there is no gag order in place, allowing him to publicly defend himself.
"It is certainly not my intention in any way to impede Mr. Trump's ability to campaign for president of the United States," Mechan said.
"He is free to defend himself against these charges. He is free to campaign," the judge added. "He is free to do just about anything that does not violate the specific terms of the protective order."
Mechan also warned Trump that he would be sanctioned or fined if he violates the order.
Prosecutors have worried Trump may try to intimidate or bully witnesses in the case by releasing information. They also have expressed concerns the former president may try to use that evidence to encourage his followers to commit acts of violence.
The case remains in the discovery stage as Trump's lawyers have petitioned to move the case to federal court, arguing it "involves important federal questions" relating to Trump's conduct while he was president. A federal judge is considering the motion and a hearing is scheduled for June 27.
Earlier this month, Merchen issued the order limiting Trump's access to only certain documents and some while only in the presence of his lawyers.
Trump's lawyers also are barred from making copies of any evidence for anyone outside the legal team.
"Donald J. Trump has a longstanding and perhaps singular history of attacking witnesses, investigators, prosecutors, trial jurors, grand jurors, judges and others involved in legal proceedings against him, putting those individuals and their families at considerable safety risk," Bragg's office wrote in a court filing in April.
Bragg last month unsealed a 34-count indictment against Trump, which was filed in late March.
The 34 felony counts accuse the former president of falsifying records when he paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels hush money during the 2020 election campaign to keep quiet about an alleged affair. Payments allegedly were made through Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen.
