Judge Marchan berates TFG lawyer for closing statement.

[deminks]

Link to tweet

The jurors are excused for lunch.

Steinglass hops up once they're gone and requests a curative instruction regarding a comment Blanche made about "sending Trump to prison."

JUSTICE MERCHAN: I think that comment was outrageous, Mr. Blanche. You know as someone who has been a prosecutor that it's simply not allowed, period. It's hard to see how that was an accident.

I'm going to give the curative instruction.

End snip.

Blanche evidently told the jury that they should think twice before sending TFG to prison. You cannot mention possible sentences in closing. Judge will instruct jury to disregard. (Sounds like a bit of a threat to the jury to me, if that is what he said)

[RockRaven]

1. Oh no! Blanche got a stern talking to! That will teach him!

[republianmushroom]

3. Remember this is a trump trial.

[Elessar Zappa]

33. What do you expect should be done?

He ordered the jury to disregard it. That’s all he can do.

[Trust_Reality]

37. How about contempt by the attorney who absolutely knew better?

[SWBTATTReg]

2. Sounds like a threat to me...

'they should think twice before sending TFG to prison', tRUMP's attorney...

Sure sounds like a threat to me.

[Ms. Toad]

22. Only taken out of context.

The context is that caution was that they should not (or think twice - it's been reported both ways) send Trump to prision based soley on Cohen's word. (Again - slight variations in how is it stated, but when reported in context Blanche clearly made the suggestion that Cohen's words, alone, should not be the basis for sending Trump to prison.)

Either way - the comment on potential punishments is inappropriate. But out of context, it could sound like a threat; in the context in which it was said, the implication is that Cohen is a liar and there needs to be more proof before sending Trump to prison.

[ShazzieB]

29. And I take it Blanche is pretending that there is NOT a massive boatload of evidence corroborating Cohen's testimony.

That sucks, but I guess there's not much else he can do at this point.

[Ms. Toad]

31. Absolutely.

But Steinglass is picking that apart in minute detail.

[sop]

26. We have your names, we know a few Russians, so think twice...

[Trust_Reality]

38. Absolutely a threat.

I would bet big money Trump ordered the attorney to say it.

[mobeau69]

4. That is not written correctly or Merchan made a goof and called Stienglass "Mr. Blanche". ????????

or there should’ve been a period after outrageous (.) and then “Mr. Blanch, you know as someone…”.

[whopis01]

25. It seems correct to me.

The judge was directing his comments towards Blanche.

"I think that comment was outrageous, Mr. Blanche" is essentially the same as saying "Mr. Blanche, I think that comment was outrageous". The judge was making it clear that he was talking to Blanche and his outrage was directed at Blanche.

[mobeau69]

34. OK, I see. I assumed he was replying to Steinglass. Thank you.

[NoMoreRepugs]

5. Sitting in the jury box for a Slobby trial one has to KNOW that you are going to be a target - I am counting on

the NEW YORK 'we don't take shit from NOBODY' mentality to hold strong.

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

16. The cowards won't even enter NYC n/t

[spanone]

6. Another lawyer kissing trmps ass by making as ass of himself.

[oldsoftie]

7. If its well known then why didnt the judge stop him when he SAID it?

He could've told the jury right then that it was improper & why.
Again, the shitshow continues.

[Rob H.]

8. The prosecution objected when Blanche mentioned prison and the judge sustained it

I'm not sure what other action he could've taken in the moment.

Edit: Are judges allowed to interject directly, or would that be seen as improper? Maybe someone who knows more can chime in.

[oldsoftie]

14. I believe the judge has interjected at other times.

But I cant remember why. Maybe it was when the jury was out.

[ancianita]

40. Blanche purposely put that political term "prison" in the jury's head because he wanted to up the ante

on "reasonable doubt" re finding Trump guilty. It was a political move. Blanche KNEW no prosecutors or defense must EVER speak of sentencing to jurors.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/29/why-trump-lawyers-prison-reference-was-so-outrageous/

Judge Merchan DID stop him and sent the jury out and made everyone else stay. Merchan immediately said to Blanche when the jury left:

“You know that making a comment like that is highly inappropriate. It’s simply not allowed,” Judge Merchan told Mr. Blanche outside the presence of the jury.

So when the jury came back, Merchan stated that only HE determines sentencing. That the jury must disregard any statement that would influence their verdict.

Jurors are now in deliberation. I expect the two lawyers on the jury to help them forget Blanche's intentional tactic.

[LiberalFighter]

9. Kristy Greenberg worked with Blanche at SDNY

And indicated that was his pattern of conduct.

[yardwork]

11. We wouldn't expect an ethical lawyer to represent Trump.

[rubbersole]

15. But, but, but Rudy....

[Haggard Celine]

35. America's Mayor!

[dalton99a]

12. +1

[avebury]

10. Sounds like an attempt at threatening

the jury to me.

[patphil]

18. No doubt about it. If he felt he had a good defence he wouldn't have had to risk that move.

I think Todd Blanche should be censured for it. He knew what he was doing, he's defended people in Trump's circle before. This seems like something Roy Cohn would have done.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-lawyer-todd-blanche-draws-judges-ire-historic-trial-gets-underway-2024-04-24/

[Maeve]

20. When the facts and law are both against you, pound the table

[Lonestarblue]

13. The judge can tell the jury to ignore, but Trump's lawyer achieved his purpose because they can't unhear it..

Jurors can’t use it in deliberations, but it’s in their minds. There should be serious penalties for defense lawyers who pull stunts like this.

[Talitha]

17. They didn't need to be reminded - the jury already knew they'd have to think twice.

Dump's lawyer knew he was out of bounds and I'm sure the jurists are more than capable of mentally bypassing his courtroom theatrics.

[ShazzieB]

30. Did you mean jurors?

Just checking. Members of the jury are jurors. A jurist is a lawyer or a judge.

[Talitha]

32. My bad - yes, I meant jurors.

[slightlv]

19. This is outrageous for any lawyer.

If I were the judge, I'd definitely find him in contempt for that statement, and use it as a mark against T's gag order.

There is NO other way to read that lawyer's statement to the jury than as an out and out threat. I'm hopping mad right now and I'm nowhere near the trial! If I'd been a juror, I don't think I could have kept my mouth shut at that point. I'd have addressed the judge right then and there to have the lawyer qualify his statement on pain of jail time for issuing domestic threats. But, that's just me and nobody can get me as hotheaded as Trump can!

[MustLoveBeagles]

21. Sounds like a threat to me

[AKwannabe]

23. Saying the "Jury should think twice"

Comes off as a threat to me!
If I was a juror here I would also be addressing the court in the manner however a juror might be allowed to do. I would absolutely feel threatened by that think twice before sending fat ass to prison.
How dare they, even????

[twodogsbarking]

24. Translation. Yep, he is guilty as sin but don't punish him because he always does this shit.

[calimary]

39. That's exactly why he SHOULD be punished.

Cuz he always does this shit.

At some point, there should be consequences for “always doing this shit”.

[twodogsbarking]

41. But he always does this shit.

[calimary]

42. All the more reason to give him more shit for it.

[twodogsbarking]

43. I would approve of more shit. Lots more.

[Traurigkeit]

27. Blanche repeated exactly what TSF wanted. Wonder what TSF has on Blanche ?

Cause Blanche is going to lose his ability to practice LAW in New York State after all these "accidents" and "mistakes".

Blanche is going to have to repeat Law School.

[duckworth969]

28. Blanche threatened the jury

Only reason for saying something like that.

[young_at_heart]

36. Is "berating" all he gets?

It seems that comment deserves more!