A revelation came to light on Friday in the hush-money trial of former President Donald Trump.
What Happened: Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan disclosed that a Facebook user claimed to have insider information about the trial’s outcome.
The announcement was made in a letter addressed to Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Merchan noted the user, identified as Michael Anderson, alleged that his cousin, a juror, had foreknowledge of Trump’s conviction.
"In the comment, the user, ‘Michael Anderson,' states: ‘My cousin is a juror and says Trump is getting convicted … Thank you folks for all your hard work!!! ….'" the judge wrote in the letter.
The questionable comment was spotted on a May 29 post on the New York court system's Facebook page, which was not directly related to Trump's ongoing legal proceedings.
Although the comment has since been removed from Facebook, its existence has raised alarms about potential breaches of judicial confidentiality.
According to Al Baker, a spokesperson for the New York State Office of Court Administration, the court acted swiftly to inform involved parties upon discovering the online comment.
In his profile, Anderson describes himself as a “Transabled & a professional sh** poster.”
The latest development follows Trump’s recent conviction on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records to conceal payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
The potential impact of Anderson's claim on the trial's verdict remains uncertain, as does the authenticity of his alleged insider knowledge.
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo: Shutterstock
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Comments
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
