New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan alerted counsel for former President Donald Trump and the Manhattan District Attorney of a potential juror confidentiality breach on June 7. In a letter, Justice Merchan mentioned a comment made by a Facebook user named ‘Michael Anderson’ claiming that Trump would be convicted, which was posted on May 29, the day before the guilty verdict was reached on May 30.
The comment, along with others by the same user, has since been deleted, sparking doubts about its validity. Justice Merchan did not confirm if the user was actually in contact with a juror. This incident has raised concerns about whether jurors violated the judge’s instructions by discussing the case or doing outside research.
Former U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman suggested that if the breach is true, it could lead to a mistrial or even the case being dismissed due to double jeopardy. The sentencing for Trump’s 34 counts of falsifying business records is scheduled for July 11, just before the Republican National Convention. Defense counsel requested a later date due to their involvement in another federal case and upcoming deadlines.
Before sentencing, Trump will undergo a pre-sentence investigation interview, where his defense attorney will be present. The potential penalties Trump may face include fines, imprisonment, house confinement, or probation. The defense plans to seek an appeal after sentencing.
Parties have until June 13 to file motions for the judge to consider at the hearing. There is also a debate over whether the gag order on Trump should remain in place after the trial. Prosecutors argue it is necessary to maintain the integrity of the proceedings, while the defense believes it could lead to resentment and contempt towards the court. Please rephrase this statement.
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