Angela Weiss/Pool Photo via AP
Judge Juan Merchan issued former President Donald Trump a stern warning about his attendance at his criminal trial: Show up or be arrested.
Trump, the first former president to ever stand trial as a criminal defendant, attended the first day of his trial on Monday — where several motions were decided upon before jury selection and testimony got underway. But Merchan, who denied a motion by the Trump legal team to recuse himself from the case, laid down the law when it came to Trump actually showing up in court.
According to MSNBC vice president of editorial and booking Jesse Rodriguez, Merchan told Trump: “If you do not show up there will be an arrest.”
Among other court developments at this early stage of the trial, the prosecution also sought to hold Trump in contempt if he violates Merchan’s gag order and continues his attacks on witnesses and members of the court. According to MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin, the District Attorney’s office stated they “will be seeking an order to show cause why Defendant should not be held in contempt.”
Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, a Class E felony. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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