Alina Habba, legal representative for former President Donald Trump, has expressed concerns over the jury's exposure to potential influence during the Memorial Day weekend in the ongoing trial concerning Trump's business records.
Habba voiced her apprehensions during an interview on Fox News, stating that the jurors "should have been sequestered" due to the unique and unwarranted nature of the case.
The case in question, which is expected to reach a verdict soon, involves Trump facing 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. These charges are related to alleged payments made to adult entertainment star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election. Habba's comments underscore the high-stakes nature of the trial and the potential for external influence on the jury.
"These are not sequestered jurors," Habba pointed out. "They should have been sequestered because, in my opinion, these jurors are handling something that is completely unprecedented and unwarranted in America. And for them to be able to be out and about on a holiday weekend, with friends and families who have opinions who are watching the news, TVs on the background at the pool party I have serious concerns.
Habba further expressed her worries about the potential bias in news coverage, particularly from left-leaning media outlets. "If theyre left-wing and theyre watching MSDNC, as my client calls it, or CNN, theyre not going to get fair news," she stated. "Theyre going to hear but, by the way, they have been saying that this case is a hoax, which is shocking. But, they know that the jurors are out there listening and I have concerns about that.
The defense team for Trump concluded their case on May 21, with closing arguments scheduled to begin on the following Tuesday. Judge Juan Merchan clarified that the timing of the Memorial Day weekend influenced the scheduling of the closing arguments, which he predicted would last a day. He expressed hope that jury deliberations would commence on May 29, as reported by the New York Times.
Habba acknowledged that time could sometimes work in one's favor, but she expressed concerns about the jurors' potential exposure to biased opinions. She worried about jurors "going back to whatever friends might have Trump derangement syndrome, forgetting all sense of reality and coming back" and feeling compelled to side against Trump.
"I dont want that," Habba stated emphatically. "I want law to fact, because if we can get that, we will win. We will not just get a hung jury, we will get an acquittal. Her comments underscore the defense's commitment to a fair trial, free from external influence and based solely on the facts of the case.
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