Key takeaways from 12th day of Trump’s New York hush-money trial
Al Jazeera
Jury hears testimony on how hush-money payments were made as judge again fines Trump for violating gag order in case.
A New York jury has heard more testimony in the criminal trial against former United States President Donald Trump, who is accused of falsifying business records linked to hush-money payments ahead of the 2016 elections.
But even before the jury was seated on Monday, Judge Juan Merchan levied another $1,000 fine against Trump and held him in contempt of court for the 10th time for violating a gag order in the case.
“I do not want to impose a jail sanction and have done everything I can to avoid doing so. But I will if necessary,” Merchan said from the bench.
Imprisonment would be an unprecedented step in the historic trial, which stems from hush-money payments that former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
The prosecutors have argued that Trump himself directed the payments, in an attempt to silence Daniels, who claimed they had an extramarital affair.
