Topline
The judge in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial told lawyers Friday a person claiming to be a juror’s cousin wrote on social media he’d heard the former president will be found guilty before Trump’s historic conviction—though there’s no proof the commenter was actually related to the juror or had any inside knowledge.
Trump was convicted on May 30. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Key Facts
Judge Juan Merchan said the comment was left on a Facebook post by the New York court system on May 29—one day before Trump’s conviction—and stated, “My cousin is a juror and says Trump is getting convicted.”
If the post were accurate—which is unclear—it would be a violation of rules barring jurors from sharing information about their role or the trial with people outside the court until the trial is over.
Merchan did not say whether he believed the comment was legitimate, if court staff had looked into the matter or whether he’ll take further action.
The comment was made on a May 21 post from the system’s Facebook page, Merchan said in his letter, though the post referenced by Merchan no longer showed a comment from Anderson as of Friday evening.
A user with the same name as the person referenced by Merchan posted a similar message on a separate post not cited by Merchan, calling out “MAGA crazies” and saying he was told by his cousin, a juror, that Trump would be convicted.
The user’s Facebook profile describes himself as a “professional s*** poster.”
Trump’s lawyer did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment.
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Key Background
Last week, Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, making him the first president ever to be convicted on criminal charges. The charges could draw thousands in fines and prison time, though many experts think prison is unlikely because he’s a first-time offender. Trump recently asked Merchan to remove a gag order kept on him following his conviction, arguing that its justifications are no longer valid.
Further Reading
Trump Convicted Of All 34 Felonies In Hush Money Trial: Here’s What Happens Next (Forbes)
Trump Asks New York Hush Money Judge To Lift Gag Order (Forbes)
