Court employee arrested after trying to approach Trump in civil fraud trial in New York

A New York state court employee was arrested Wednesday after she attempted to approach former President Donald Trump, claiming she wanted to help him, during his ongoing civil fraud trial in lower Manhattan, officials said.

The woman, whom police identified as Jenny Hannigan, was charged with contempt of court for interrupting proceedings in Manhattan Supreme Court just before noon “by getting up and walking to the front of the courtroom yelling at Mr. Trump,” the Court Office said. Administration spokesman Lucian Chalfen said

A Post reporter inside the courtroom at the time did not hear Hannigan scream, but she was caught talking loudly in the hallway after being escorted out.

Hannigan, 37, of Baldwin, New York, is a clerk for a judge in Queens, according to a court source. No one answered a phone number at an address listed for her there.

Hannigan, who was wearing a black dress and matching jacket, was detained by court officers before she could approach Trump, 77, and his attorneys, who were seated at the defense table, Chalfen said in a statement. .

“Neither party was ever in danger,” he said.

When the former president left the court around 3:30 p.m., he said he did not know about the woman’s arrest, nor about the apparent commotion it caused.

A woman was arrested on a contempt of court charge for allegedly disrupting Trump’s fraud trial. Steven Hirsch

“Who was arrested? We didn’t know anything about it,” she told reporters.

Hannigan was first asked to take a seat in the gallery of the Manhattan Supreme Court Courtroom before an officer asked to speak to her outside the courtroom around 11:45 a.m.

She entered the media-filled hallway, speaking loudly and saying she was afraid, as a group of officers surrounded her and asked her to lower her voice.

After escorting Hannigan down the stairs to the first floor, the officers handcuffed her as she screamed “Help me!” “Save me!” for several minutes, according to a court source.

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Meanwhile, inside the courtroom at 60 Center Street, the testimony of Doug Larson, a real estate appraiser, continued without further interruption as the drama unfolded outside.

Hannigan was charged with one count of second-degree contempt of court for disrupting the proceedings and was issued an appearance ticket.

He allegedly tried to approach Donald Trump and ask for help while the trial was underway. Steven Hirsch

She was placed on administrative leave and banned from state courts pending an investigation into the incident, Chalfen said.

Trump had previously appeared agitated during Larson’s testimony: He was seen muttering to his lawyers, shaking his head and gesticulating as Trump’s lawyers questioned the outside appraiser.

Trump’s behavior prompted Kevin Wallace, a lawyer in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office, to object, saying, “Can the defendant please stop making comments during the witness’s testimony?” .

Judge Arthur Engoron – who decides the case, rather than a jury – issued a broad warning to everyone in the courtroom, including Trump and others, to remain silent “particularly if the testimony is intended to be influenced” by a witness.

Trump’s lawyers later claimed that Larson had lied on the stand, and Larson was eventually told to leave the courtroom while the lawyers and the judge argued the claim.

The perjury lawsuit arose from the question of whether Larson had worked with the Trump Org. Comptroller Jeff McConney, a co-defendant in the case, to value Trump properties in 2013.

Trump attended the trial for the $250 million fraud against him for the second consecutive day.REUTERS

While cross-examining Larson, Trump attorney Lazaro Fields accused him of testifying Tuesday that he had not worked with McConney, while presenting an email from Larson communicating with McConney around that time.

“You lied, Mr. Larson, didn’t you?” Fields said, raising his voice.

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“I didn’t. That’s what I remember,” Larson responded.

Kise then stood up and interjected that Larson should be informed of his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself, prompting audible groans from lawyers at the attorney general’s table.

“In my opinion, he committed perjury yesterday,” said Trump’s lawyer, Chris Kise, while the attorney general’s office accused the former president’s legal team of exaggerating the theatrics before the assembled media.

The woman was a court employee and was banned from the court buildings pending an investigation into the incident. Steven Hirsch

“This is a performance for the press sitting behind us, and not an actual legal issue,” Wallace said after a court official escorted Larson out of the courtroom.

“This is witness intimidation!” Attorney General’s Attorney Colleen Kelly Faherty shouted.

Both sides continued to have a heated argument after Larson left the room. Kise said Larson should take a break from testimony to speak with his attorney about his potential risk of perjury.

“Unlike the government, I take those rights seriously,” Kise hissed, again prompting complaints from the attorney general’s lawyers.

After a few minutes, Engoron ordered Larson back to the stand, suggesting that “I don’t see any inconsistencies” in his testimony.

Trump is alleged to have overstated his assets for loan and insurance purposes. Steven Hirsch

Larson, executive vice president of real estate firm Newmark, also testified for most of Tuesday, the same day Trump returned to court after attending the first three days of the trial two weeks ago.

“My role here is to get witnesses to testify,” Engoron said. “If he is committing perjury, he is committing perjury. If not, he has nothing to worry about.”

He told the court that in 2015 he had appraised Trump’s 71-story commercial skyscraper at 40 Wall St. in the Financial District.

The attorney general’s office, in its fraud lawsuit, has alleged that the Trump organization overstated the value of the historic and rising property by $735.4 million in 2015, despite an appraisal ordered by the lender that labeled it at $540. millions.

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After Larson concluded her testimony Wednesday, Jack Weisselberg, son of former Trump organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg, was called to the witness stand by the attorney general’s office.

The younger Weisselberg testified about a series of loans he helped make to the real estate company as an executive at lender Ladder Capital while his father worked at Trump Org.

Trump has vehemently denied the allegations and accused the case of being a political witch hunt against him. Steven Hirsch

The loans included one used to finance Trump University’s $25 million settlement paid to 6,000 students who said they were deceived by the former president’s now-defunct real estate training program, Weisselberg testified.

All major loans he worked on with the Trump organization had to be personally approved by the former president himself, Weisselberg said.

Weisselberg Sr. testified last week over two days in which he attempted to downplay the importance of Trump tripling the value of his triplex penthouse in Manhattan’s Trump Tower.

The father served time in prison and was released earlier this year after pleading guilty to cheating on his taxes while working at the real estate empire.

His testimony in a criminal trial helped the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office obtain a guilty verdict in the tax fraud case against Trump Org.

Trump told reporters as he left court around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday that he would “probably” not return for the trial the next day because of an upcoming golf tournament at his Miami, Florida, golf club.

You are not required to attend the civil trial.

Trump Golf Doral will host the LIV Golf Team Championship from October 20-22.

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Source: vtt.edu.vn

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