A New York judge has ruled that prosecutors can cross-examine former President Donald Trump on prior judgments and gag order violations in the hush money trial. The decision allows prosecutors to question Trump on two rulings, one made in the New York civil fraud trial and the other from the E Jean Carroll defamation case. However, the court has refused to allow Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to bring up sanctions imposed against Trump from the Hillary Clinton lawsuit in Florida.
Prosecutors had requested to question the Republican candidate regarding his other cases in a bid to impugn his credibility in front of jurors. Trump, 77, has repeatedly made claims that he will “absolutely” be testifying; however, after the new ruling, his legal team may not let him. If Trump does testify, it would be a rare step for a criminal defendant. By law, he is not required to take the stand, and jurors are not permitted to hold it against him.
Merchan’s ruling is designed to give Trump’s legal team an informed view as it mulls whether the former president should take the stand in his defense. At the Friday hearing, Trump attorney Emil Bove said that bringing up Carroll’s trial would be too “salacious” and urged the judge against allowing prosecutors to mention it.
