Judge finds Trump in contempt of court, warns him of possible imprisonment

Former President Donald Trump has been found in contempt of court in his ongoing trial concerning the Stormy Daniels bribery case. The judge also issued a clear warning about Trump’s future actions, handing his written decision to the parties, suggesting a possible prison sentence.

Judge finds Trump in contempt for violating his gag order in the hush money trial and fines the former president $1,000 for each violation https://t.co/KBbi1S54Nd

— CNN (@CNN) April 30, 2024

Judge Merchan, who has just imposed a fine of $9,000, the statutory maximum of $1,000, for nine offenses committed.

The judge acknowledged that this sum might seem modest given Trump’s wealth. However, he warned Trump that he could be subject to harsher penalties, such as imprisonment for up to 30 days, if he continued to ignore the court’s directives.

The gag order imposed on Trump in this case is designed to preserve the fairness and integrity of justice. It prevents Trump from speaking publicly about the witnesses, judge or jurors involved in the trial.

This measure was imposed on him because of numerous messages published on the Truth Social platform and on his campaign website, where he criticized key players in the case, thereby jeopardizing public perceptions and legal proceedings.

The judge also ordered the deletion of several messages published by Trump on social networks, specifying that he would strictly enforce the consequences in the event of further breaches. He stressed that maintaining a fair environment during the trial was essential.

Trump faces 34 counts in the case, including for falsifying documents related to payments to his former lawyer Michael Cohen. Trump has denied these allegations, which could result in a prison sentence if proven at the end of this trial.