Judge Juan Merchan can “save his reputation” if he dismisses the NY v. Trump case, former President Donald Trump said in remarks Wednesday outside of the Manhattan courtroom.
“The confusion is nobody knows what the crime is because there’s no crime. Nobody knows what the crime is. The D.A. didn’t name the crime of the moment. They don’t know what the crime is. That’s what the problem is. It’s a disgrace. This thing ought to be ended immediately. The judge ought to end it and save his reputation,” Trump said Wednesday evening.
Trump’s comments came after jury deliberations began Wednesday.
Since deliberations began, the jury sent Merchan two notes, including asking to rehear his instructions. In New York criminal cases, juries are not allowed to receive copies of jury instructions or witness transcripts.
TRUMP SAYS JUDGE MERCHAN HAS WAY TO GAIN BACK ‘RESPECT’ DESPITE PRESIDING OVER ‘WITCH HUNT’ TRIAL
Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump attends his criminal trial at the New York State Supreme Court in New York, New York, Wednesday, May, 29, 2024. (Doug Mills/Pool via REUTERS)
Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors worked to prove that Trump falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to former pornographic star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to quiet her claims of an alleged affair with Trump in 2006.
“The judge, who, as you know, is very conflicted and corrupt. Because of the confliction, very, very corrupt. Mother Teresa could not beat these charges. These charges are rigged. The whole thing is rigged,” Trump said late Wednesday morning as jury deliberations kicked off.
COHEN’S BOMBSHELL ADMISSION COULD LEAD TO HUNG JURY, IF NOT ACQUITTAL: EXPERT
Judge Juan M. Merchan poses in his chambers in New York, March 14, 2024. The testimony in Donald Trump’s hush money trial is all wrapped up after more than four weeks and nearly two dozen witnesses, meaning the case heads into the pivotal final stretch of closing arguments, jury deliberations and possibly a verdict. Merchan is expected to spend about an hour instructing the jury on the law governing the case, providing a roadmap for what it can and cannot take into account as it evaluates Trump’s guilt or innocence. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
“The whole country is a mess, between the borders and fake elections, and you have a trial like this where the judge is so conflicted, he can’t breathe. He’s got to do his job. … it’s a disgrace. And I mean that, Mother Teresa could not beat those charges. But we’ll see. We’ll see how we do.”
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Trump has repeatedly called on Merchan to recuse himself as well as dismiss the case, including last week when he said Merchan could “gain back respect” if he dismissed the case.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as Rhona Graff testifies during Trump’s criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 26, 2024, in this courtroom sketch. (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg)
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“This case should be dropped by the judge. I think the judge, if he did, that … could gain the respect back. The appellate court has to step in, something has to happen. Think of it, the Republican Party, one of the two great parties, nominates somebody to be their candidate. And that candidate now has been sitting here for almost five weeks in a freezing cold icebox listening to this stuff,” Trump said last Monday.
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Court will continue Thursday morning at 9:30, when Merchan will again address jury instructions, followed by the jury resuming deliberations.