Special Counsel Jack Smith has requested a silence order against Trump to prevent him from favoring the jury and undermining the 1/6 case against him.
Smith’s accusers wrote:
Since the grand jury returned an indictment in this case, the defendant has repeatedly and widely released public statements attacking the citizens of the District of Columbia, the Court, prosecutors, and potential witnesses. By his statements, the defendant threatens to undermine the integrity of this proceeding and to prejudice the jury pool, in violation of the “unwavering rule” that in our legal system a jury’s verdict “shall be informed only by evidence and arguments in open court, and not by any outside influence.” Sheppard v. Maxwell, 384 U.S. 333, 351 (1966) (citations omitted).
In accordance with the Court’s duty to “protect [its] processes against adverse external influences”, id. in 363, the Government requests that the Court take the following immediate measures to ensure due administration of justice and a fair and impartial jury: (1) enter a tailored order pursuant to Local Penal Rule 57.7(c) limiting certain adverse out-of-court proceedings explanations; and (2) enter an order permitting the Court to ensure that if either party conducts a jury search involving contact with the citizens of this district, the jury search is conducted in a manner not prejudicial to the venire.
Smith has no intention of standing back and allowing Trump to undermine the trial and infect the jurors with his continued attacks on prosecutors, the people of Washington DC, witnesses and the judge.
Trump is about to discover for the first time in his life that he cannot do and say whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Smith asks the judge to draw consequences from the former president’s words.
Donald Trump has met his match, and special counsel Jack Smith won’t let him loosen his grip on the trial. Finally, someone is trying to silence Trump.