NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 18: Former President Donald Trump as he leaves the courtroom during his civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court on October 18, 2023 in New York City. Trump may be forced to sell off his properties after Justice Arthur Engoron canceled his business certificates after ruling that he committed fraud for years while building his real estate empire after being sued by Attorney General Letitia James, who is seeking $250 million in damages. The trial will determine how much he and his companies will be penalized for the fraud.
A secretary for a judge in Queens, Jenny Hannigan, was arrested and banned in New York Court after yelling at Former President Donald Trump while seated in the courtroom during his civil trial in the Manhattan Supreme Court.
According to the New York State Unified Court System spokesman, Hannigan interrupted the legal proceedings by standing up, walking toward the front of the courtroom, and yelling out to Trump.
NY Court Employee Disrupted Trump Fraud Trial
Per ABC News, Hannigan said that she intended to assist Trump. Office of Court Administration spokesman Lucian Chalfen said the court officers stopped Hannigan before she got near Trump and other attorneys or litigants at the defense table.
The officers accompanied Hannigan out of the courtroom and courthouse. She was charged with second-degree contempt of court for disrupting a court proceeding. Hannigan has been placed on immediate administrative leave and was banned from entering any court building.
She asked a reporter to hold a door for her when she was trying to rush downstairs. Two court officers chased her down and put her into custody. Chalfen confirmed that none of the parties were in any danger. Trump did not notice Hannigan causing a commotion.
"Who got arrested? We didn't know anything about it," he asked.
According to the NY Post, Hannigan was placed in the courtroom's gallery and faced a media-packed hallway. She told the reporters she was scared as the officers surrounded her, telling her to lower her voice.
However, after escorting Hannigan downstairs, she screamed, "Help me!" "Save me!" several times.
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Trump's Civil Fraud Trial
Trump has an ongoing trial in New York in a $250 million lawsuit. He returned to court on Tuesday and Wednesday after not appearing for a few days last week.
New York Attorney General Letitia James accused Trump's sons, Eric and Don Jr., and Trump Organization executives of inflating Trump's wealth and assets for more financial benefits.
According to Yahoo! News, the trial began on its third week on Tuesday, hearing testimony from former Trump Organization executives and accountants, real estate appraisers, and others who worked jointly with the former president's chief executives on years of financial statements central to the case.
As reported in the Independent, the judge warned Trump for his social posts and courthouse statements that publicize false claims towards New York Superior Court Judge Arthur Engoron. An appellate court judge turned down the former president's attempt to cease the trial while he appealed Judge Engoron's order against his business empire from last month.
Michael Cohen, a star witness for James' team, will testify this week, claiming Trump's appearance was intended as an in-person face-off between the former president and his former attorney. The frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination has specified the case, as well as the four criminal cases and an upcoming defamation trial against him, as a Democratic scheme to keep him out of office.
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