During the first week of his criminal trial, Donald Trump faced a situation typical of his courtroom appearances.
Although Trump has been bombastic before crowds of supporters and continues to use all caps on social media, he has been largely silent in the courtroom, reported The Guardian.
Now that the trial’s first week has concluded, it signals a significant shift for someone poised to challenge Joe Bidenfor the White House and who was eager to engage with fervent supporters at campaign rallies and speeches.
“I will not have any jurors intimidated in my courtroom,” Judge Juan Merchan cautioned Trump after he was heard muttering over a prospective juror.
From the elevated judge’s bench, Merchan oversees Trump, who must rise upon entering the courtroom even with a scowl on his face. While Trump’s posts on Truth Social indicate a readiness to lash out, Merchan’s courtroom demands civility, The Guardian added.
At first glance, the criminal trial resembles the former president’s New York fraud trial, where Trump occasionally faced reprimands from the judge, akin to a teacher correcting a student’s behavior.
However, this criminal trial stands apart, highlighting Trump’s constrained authority within the courtroom compared to his external influence.
Unlike his fraud trial where attendance was optional, Trump must now be present every day of this trial, which is anticipated to span approximately six weeks, with sessions scheduled for every weekday except Wednesday, the report added.
In this trial, a jury of 12 ordinary New Yorkers will determine Trump’s fate. Chosen from a pool of nearly 200, they hold the power to decide the outcome of the case.
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