The Associated Press reported that the judge in Donald Trump’s criminal case holds a hybrid hearing on May 23, 2023, to ensure the former president is aware of new rules blocking him from using evidence to attack witnesses.
After that, Trump is allowed to speak publicly about the case. Still, he risks being held in contempt if he uses evidence turned over by prosecutors in the pretrial discovery process to target witnesses or others involved.
Trump is not obligated to attend court for the afternoon hearing at a Manhattan courthouse.
Instead, the early front runner for the Republican nominee for the presidential election will be connected via video conference, with his face beamed onto courtroom TV monitors. His lawyers and prosecutors must still appear in person.
Judge Juan Manuel Merchan agreed to the extra step of personally instructing Trump on the restrictions after listing them on May 8 in what’s known as a protective order.
Trump pleaded not guilty on April 4 to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to his company’s payments to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen.
Prosecutors believed those payments were intended to reimburse and compensate Cohen for orchestrating hush money payments during the 2016 campaign to bury allegations of extramarital sexual encounters. Trump denies having had extramarital flings and says the prosecution is politically motivated.
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