The judge overseeing former
President Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York held him in contempt of court for violating a gag order for the 10th time, warning on Monday that future infractions could bring jail time.
Judge Juan Merchan said Trump violated his order on April 22 when he commented on the political makeup of the jury.
"That jury was picked so fast — 95% Democrats. The area's mostly all Democrat," Trump said in an interview with the network Real America's Voice. "It's a very unfair situation, that I can tell you."
In his
written order, Merchan said Trump's comments "not only called into question the integrity, and therefore the legitimacy of these proceedings, but again raised the specter of fear for the safety of the jurors and of their loved ones."
He imposed a fine of $1,000, the maximum allowed under state law. Last week, Merchan
fined Trump $9,000 for nine violations in posts on social media and his campaign website. He said Monday that the fines were not having their intended deterrent effect, and that Trump could be jailed for future violations.
"Going forward, this court will have to consider a jail sanction if it is recommended," Merchan said from the bench as the trial resumed on Monday.
He said jailing Trump was "the last thing I want to do," since it would disrupt the trial and present challenges for the Secret Service and court officers tasked with protecting the former president.
"The magnitude of such a decision is not lost on me," he said. But the gag order violations "constitute a direct attack on the rule of law — I cannot allow that to continue."
Trump faces 34 charges of falsifying business records and has pleaded not guilty.
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