Mar 7, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Judge in Trump hush money case orders jurors' identities remain secret

Rebecca Falconer

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Greensboro Coliseum on March 2, 2024 in Greensboro, North Carolina. — Republican presidential candidate former President Trump speaks during a campaign event in Greensboro, North Carolina, earlier this month. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

A judge presiding over former President Trump's hush money case in New York on Thursday ruled that the jury members must not be publicly identified during the trial, which is scheduled to start later this month.

The big picture: Judge Juan Merchan raised concerns in his protective order that extend to courtroom staff about "a likelihood of bribery, jury tampering, or of physical injury or harassment of juror(s)" if they didn't remain anonymous.

Trump was indicted in March last year by a Manhattan grand jury and charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree in the case that's related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

State of play: Merchan noted in his ruling that both parties agreed to the order prohibiting the public disclosure of the jurors' names.

He said he would rule later on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's request that the judge impose a partial gag order on Trump — an application the likely Republican presidential nominee's attorneys object to, arguing that it would be "unconstitutional and unlawful."

Go deeper: Key players in the Trump New York hush-money case

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Judge in Trump hush money case orders jurors' identities remain secret

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