Judge urged to extend Trump gag order as flood of threats target Manhattan prosecutor

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 15: Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press as attorney Todd Blanche (R) looks on upon arrival for the first day of his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 15, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Angela Weiss - Pool/Getty Images)

Manhattan prosecutors on Friday asked a judge to extend a gag order placed on Donald Trump due to a massive uptick in the number of threats made against District Attorney Alvin Bragg and others involved in his criminal trial.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee is prohibited from attacking witnesses, jurors, court staff and their family members under a gag order imposed before the trial began in mid-April, and prosecutors filed a motion Friday asking for portions of the order to remain in place, reported the New York Times.

The gag order currently doesn't include Bragg or Judge Juan Merchan.

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Friday's 19-page filing argued that protections for witnesses were no longer needed, but prosecutors asked the judge to continue protecting jurors, prosecutors, court staff and their families.

New York police have logged 56 “actionable threats” directed at Bragg and his family and staff members in his office. His family and office workers are covered by the gag order.

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Prosecutors said that number doesn't even include hundreds of “threatening emails and phone calls” Bragg's office has received that police did not track as threat cases.

Trump was convicted last month on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover violations of election law and other crimes, and he faces up to four years in prison when he's sentenced July 11.

Trump's efforts to get the gag order lifted were rejected by an appeals court Tuesday, but he may take hisappeal to a higher court.