Those of us who were covering the Trump trial were aware of its historical importance, but also expected that the first day would be relatively uneventful, given the cleaning details and rules for jury selection. . But that morning also turned out to be the first time accountability for Donald Trump was shaken.
As part of the pre-trial clean-up, Judge Juan Melchan directly delivered so-called Parker Warnings about courtroom behavior to defendants, reminding them that they could be jailed if they disrupt proceedings.
Mr. Trump, who had appeared to be dozing off earlier, muttered, “I understand,” when asked if he understood the content and other elements of the warning, but Mr. Marchand said this time, just to make sure the warning died down. He verbally gave Trump a second warning. in.
Then the former president sat down and listened to arguments about the permissibility of years of witness intimidation, supposedly illegal social media posts, and efforts to use the National Enquirer to take down rival companies. I had to. The jury heard nothing of this, but Mr. Trump and everyone else in the courtroom did.
Throughout the morning, Trump’s side only won once. During the testimony of former Playboy model Karen McDougal, when Marchan ruled that Trump’s wife could not mention in front of the jury that she was pregnant and then carrying a newborn (Barron Trump) at home, McDougal says that they had been in a long-term affair.
At one point, Trump’s lead attorney Todd Blanche noticed his client, who had collapsed, staring straight ahead in dejection. He reached out his hand and patted President Trump on the back.
Marchan will hold a hearing on April 23 on prosecutors’ motion to hold Trump in contempt of court and possibly jail him for three Truth Social posts attacking Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels. He said he would open it, a clear violation of Marchand’s gag order blocking President Trump. From attempting to intimidate witnesses.
Marchand said he would reject Trump’s prevailing argument that he was simply responding in kind.
But Marchan was also concerned about the logistics of accommodating Trump’s desire to be heavily involved in jury selection. Potential jurors who wish to speak privately with Mr. Marchand or his attorney may also be able to take part of the process in an out-of-courtroom meeting. There is an unspoken fear in the courtroom: Will potential jurors be intimidated if President Trump, exercising his rights, is also present?
Machan is working on that. He reminds me of the old deodorant ads for Ice Blue Secret. The bespectacled, snow-haired Machan is “cool and calm,” and he will do a great job in this trial.
