Judge Flags Facebook Post in Donald Trump's Hush Money Trial

The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s hush money criminal trial in New York recently addressed a potentially concerning Facebook post. The post, which has since been labeled as one week old, mentioned a juror's claim of Trump's conviction, but the judge clarified that it was unrelated to the ongoing trial.

Judge Juan Merchan informed the involved parties about a post on the court system's Facebook page, where a user mentioned their cousin, a juror, allegedly stating that Trump was getting convicted. However, the judge emphasized that this comment pertained to a routine court system notice posted on May 29, 2024, regarding a different matter in the Fourth Department of the Appellate Division, and was not related to the ongoing trial.

Permission Granted for Defense Attorney

Additionally, Judge Merchan granted defense attorney Todd Blanche permission to attend Trump’s pre-sentence investigation interview. The interview, set to take place Monday afternoon at Mar-a-Lago, is a crucial step in the legal process, and sources familiar with the matter have confirmed this development to ABC News.

Conviction and Appeal

A jury recently found Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a 2016 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress, in an attempt to enhance his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election. This historic conviction marks the first time a former U.S. president has faced criminal charges. Following the upcoming sentencing in July, Trump is anticipated to file an appeal against the verdict.

This update on the legal proceedings of the hush money trial involving former President Donald Trump offers a glimpse into the ongoing developments, shedding light on the upcoming pre-sentence interview and the potential for an appeal post-sentencing.