NY. v Trump gag order opposed by Manhattan DA

The Manhattan DA's Office has filed their formal opposition to former President Donald Trump's request to terminate the gag order against him.  The DA's office argue the purpose of the gag order was to protect certain participants from “'threatening, inflammatory, [and] denigrating' statements" by Trump, and that the order should remain in place.  

According to the court document, the DA's office continued that Trump has not exempt jurors "from his alarming rhetoric that he would have 'every right' to seek retribution as president against the participants in this trial as a consequence of his conviction because 'sometimes revenge can be justified.'” 

Prosecutors say Trump made references to the jurors as a group collectively. One example noted is when the former president said the jury was "95% Democrats."

The DA's office also says there is no reason to alter to lift the gag order before sentencing, as prosecutors and staff are still heavily involved in the case.

They say the DA's office has received nearly 500 threatening emails and phone calls since April 2024, including bomb threats at the homes of two people involved in the case on April 15, the first day of the trial. According to the document, "It includes a threatening post disclosing the home address of a DANY employee involved in this prosecution," and "an online post depicting sniper sights on people involved in this case or a family member of such a person," as well as other posts "directed to the District Attorney or DANY employees involved in this prosecution that 'we will kill you all'; that '[. . .] should be in witness protection'; and that 'Your life is done.'"

The DA's office does note the gag order no longer needs to apply to potential witnesses since the hush money case is over, but that "does not mean that defendant has carte blanche to resume his reprehensible practice of publicly attacking individuals involved in litigation against him."

The response comes after Trump asked Judge Juan Merchan on June 4 to lift the gag order that prevents him from speaking about witnesses, jurors and others associated with the case.