The trial of Donald J Trump for crimes associated with payoffs to avoid a sex scandal in the leadup to the 2016 election is scheduled to begin March 25 in New York. Last week, Judge Juan Merchan issued an intriguing order partially anonymizing the jurors.
The New York judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal trial later this month for alleged business records fraud has ruled that jurors’ names will be shielded from the public but known to the lawyers, the former president and his consultants.
Why did Judge Merchan only restrict the names from the public, but not from Trump and his counsel as well? Full restriction is not unprecedented, including the New York civil trials against Trump. Does Judge Merchan believe that Trump and his lawyers are trustworthy and honest and will refrain from interfering with the jury in any way? Or is he perhaps dangling bait in front of the Orange Menace and waiting for the other shoe to drop?
Seems like jury tampering might be a particularly serious crime to be placing within the grasp of a man notoriously lacking in self-restraint. Will Trump resist the temptation?
Inquiring minds would like to know. We will soon find out.