(UnitedHeadlines.com) – Former President Donald Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche’s motion for a mistrial, filed after former adult film star Stormy Daniels’ “unduly prejudicial” testimony, has been denied by Judge Juan Merchan on May 7.
In denying Blanche’s request, Merchan said that during Daniels’ testimony, many of the defense team’s objections were sustained, and many of their requests to suppress testimony were granted. Merchan added that he agreed with Blanche “that there were many things that would have been better left unsaid.” However, he also noted that the defense team should have raised more objections during the testimony.
In filing the motion for a mistrial, Blanche noted that her testimony included details irrelevant to the case. While Merchan said he would instruct the jury only to pay attention to a limited portion of her testimony, Blanche believes “there’s no way to unring the bell,” adding that her testimony could potentially “inflame the jury.” Blanche stated that he believes that because of Daniels’ “extraordinarily prejudicial testimony,” the jury might not be “able to focus on the charged conduct.”
While on a break during the trial, Trump posted on Truth Social, calling for a mistrial, noting that the prosecution “HAS GONE TOO FAR.”
Despite the objections from Trump’s attorney, Merchan ruled that he did not believe “a mistrial is warranted.” However, he noted that Daniels was a difficult witness to control, noting he had objected to Daniels’ testimony, which included “unnecessary” details, according to Merchan. During the testimony, Merchan asked the prosecutor, Susan Hoffinger, to move along with questioning.
Outside the Manhattan courtroom, Trump said, “The whole case is just a disaster,” noting that it was “a very big day, a very revealing day” and that “their case is totally falling apart.” Trump never mentioned Daniels in his comments, obeying the gag order imposed by Merchan before the trial began that bans Trump from publicly commenting about witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, their families, and the family of Merchan and the family of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Merchan has ruled Trump violated the gag order 10 times, fining him $10,000 and threatening him with jail time if he violates the gag order again.
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