Donald Trump’s attorneys claim they have proof of “severe juror misconduct” in the New York criminal case that led to his conviction on 34 felony counts.
Trump lawyers Emil Bove and Todd Blanche sent a letter on Dec. 3 that was released Tuesday, stating that “the extensive and pervasive misconduct at issue violated President Trump’s rights under the federal Constitution and New York law.”
A juror in the case contacted Trump’s lawyers, who then wrote the letter, they told NBC News. A request for comment from the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg was not immediately answered.
The specifics of the alleged wrongdoing were not known. There is a lot of redaction in the letter.
In a response letter that was also made public on Tuesday, the DA described the accusations of wrongdoing as “vague,” adding that the individual who made the claim had informed Trump’s team that its characterization of the charges was inaccurate.
Judge Juan Merchan ordered the letter to be made public on Monday, stating that it contained “unsworn and contested statements” that, if placed in full on the public court docket, could endanger jurors’ safety.
“This behavior is totally unacceptable and it shows without question that the verdicts in this case are as unreliable as DA Bragg’s promise to protect Manhattanites from violent crime,” reads an unredacted section of the letter.
While deciding on Trump’s applications to dismiss the case, Merchan was encouraged in the letter to “consider” the claims. However, the judge stated in his Monday order that he is unable to do so.
It is important to go into claims of juror misbehavior in great detail. The judge stated, “But this Court is not allowed to decide such claims on the basis of mere hearsay and conjecture,” adding that this may change if Trump filed a motion to have the conviction overturned due to juror misconduct.
The judge ruled that such a motion “must contain sworn allegations.”
He said, “Should a properly filed claim be submitted, these redactions will be revisited.”
According to the DA’s letter, Trump’s lawyers informed the judge that they did not want a hearing on the alleged misbehavior and called the process “invasive factfinding.”
The documents were made a day after Merchanden rejected Trump’s attempt to use presidential immunity to get his conviction for manipulating business records dismissed.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday, the president-elect attacked Merchan for the decision, referring to it as a “completely illegal psychotic order.”
Merchant “completely disrespected the United States Supreme Court, and its Historic Decision on Immunity,” Trump stated. “But even without Immunity, this illegitimate case is nothing but a Rigged Hoax.”
The judge is still considering one more broad plea for Trump to have the lawsuit against him dismissed.
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