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Justice Juan Merchan in Manhattan state court agreed to let the
former U.S. president appear remotely, avoiding a repeat of the
heavy security required on April 4 when Trump was arraigned and
pleaded not guilty in person. Prosecutors and Trump's lawyers
will appear in Merchan's courtroom.
The restrictions on Trump concern grand jury minutes, witness
statements, and other materials that prosecutors are required to
turn over to the defense to prepare for trial.
In a May 8 order, Merchan barred disclosing those materials to
third parties, including to news outlets and on social media.
Prosecutors have said the order was needed because of Trump's
history of attacks on social media, and the risk that witnesses
might be harassed.
Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination for
president in the 2024 election, would remain free to speak about
most evidence in the case, which comes from the defense, the
judge said at a hearing earlier this month.
Prosecutors have said they will give Trump's lawyers the
additional materials once he is advised what he can and cannot
do with them.
Trump faces 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records to
conceal reimbursements to his then-lawyer Michael Cohen for a
$130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
The payment was allegedly in exchange for her silence prior to
the 2016 presidential election about a sexual encounter she
claimed to have with Trump, which Trump denies.
Prosecutors have said the reimbursements concealed violations of
New York election law and flouted campaign contribution limits
under federal election law.
Merchan has asked both sides to agree on a trial date in
February or March 2024. Trump is also seeking to move the case
to federal court.
(Reporting by Karen Freifeld, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
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