All articles tagged with #witness intimidation
Demetric Deshawn Scott, a 52-year-old from Milwaukee, is charged with sending threatening letters to President Trump to influence the deportation of Ramón Morales Reyes, and faces additional charges of identity theft, bail jumping, and witness intimidation.
In the New York criminal trial, prosecutors have refused to provide Trump's legal team with the names of the first three witnesses, citing Trump's history of criticizing and potentially intimidating witnesses. This decision hampers the defense's ability to prepare for cross-examination effectively, as they now have to engage in scattershot preparation for numerous potential witnesses instead of focusing on a select few. Trump's past actions have led to consequences that make it immensely harder for his legal team to assist him.
A judge in Manhattan has imposed a gag order on former President Donald Trump, prohibiting him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, and jurors in his upcoming criminal trial related to a hush-money case. The order comes after the judge set an April 15 trial date and is aimed at curbing Trump's history of inflammatory and threatening statements about individuals involved in legal proceedings against him. This trial will mark the first criminal prosecution of a former American president.
Prosecutors in the hush money criminal case against former President Donald Trump have requested a gag order to restrict his public statements about witnesses, jurors, lawyers, and court staff, citing a pattern of attacks that could lead to witness intimidation and juror interference. This would be the third case in recent months in which Trump is subject to a gag order, with prosecutors listing numerous examples of his inflammatory remarks about participants in judicial proceedings against him. The request also includes restrictions on disclosing juror information and comes amid an "extraordinary surge" of threats to the Manhattan District Attorney's office following Trump's indictment.
Massachusetts blogger known as Turtleboy, real name Aidan Timothy Kearney, faces new charges of intimidation of a witness and disclosing contents of a wiretap, both pertaining to the same victim. Kearney was originally arrested in October and indicted on 16 counts in December, including intimidation of a witness. He is also involved in the ongoing murder investigation of Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, where his ex-girlfriend, Karen Read, is accused of hitting O'Keefe with her vehicle. Kearney had posted prolifically about the Read case and allegedly communicated frequently with her, despite publicly denying contact.
Federal prosecutors are investigating threats against potential witnesses in the case involving Donald Trump's mishandling of classified documents. Special Counsel Jack Smith has filed a motion to submit sealed documents detailing threats made over social media and an ongoing federal investigation into the matter. Concerns over witness intimidation have been raised, citing previous instances of Trump's alleged attempts to influence witnesses and investigations in other criminal cases. The filings are part of an ongoing dispute between Smith and Trump's legal team over the specifics of the FBI's investigation into Trump's retention of classified documents after leaving the White House.
Federal authorities are investigating online threats made to a potential witness related to special counsel Jack Smith's classified documents case against former President Donald Trump. The threats were made over social media and are the subject of an ongoing federal investigation. The targeted witness was not identified, and the details and circumstances of the threats are being kept under seal to avoid disrupting the investigation. This comes amid a dispute between Smith's team and Trump's lawyers over redacting information in court filings. Last year, Smith indicted Trump for allegedly defying a federal grand jury subpoena and trying to hide classified documents, as well as for allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Court documents reveal evidence of frequent contact between murder suspect Karen Read and controversial blogger "Turtleboy," including alleged sharing of non-public case information. The communications involved intermediaries and extensive phone calls, with Read's defense claiming she is the victim of a cover-up. The blogger, Aidan Timothy Kearney, faces charges related to the case and was indicted on 16 counts, including witness intimidation. A search warrant application details the alleged communications and the involvement of intermediaries, leading to the seizure of Read's phones. The documents did not reveal the findings, and Read is scheduled to go on trial in March.
Authorities are investigating jailhouse phone calls from Duane "Keffe D" Davis, a suspect in the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, after hearing remarks indicating he might have been conspiring to harm witnesses cooperating with the prosecution. Prosecutors allege that Davis posed "credible threats to witnesses" and a "danger to the community," citing conversations that led to the relocation of a witness. Davis denies the allegations, claiming the calls were misinterpreted and that the "green light" comments were a threat against him or his family. His trial date is set for June 3, and he has pleaded not guilty.
The bail hearing for Duane "Keffe D" Davis, the man accused of orchestrating Tupac Shakur's 1996 murder, has been delayed after prosecutors claimed he poses a threat to witnesses. Davis, who has pleaded not guilty and remains in jail without bail, was described by prosecutors as a "shot caller" for a gang and was allegedly involved in a phone call discussing a "green light" authorization, which is understood as an order to kill. His defense attorneys argue that Davis is in poor health and not a danger to the community, requesting his bail be set at no more than $100,000.
An appeals court has upheld most of the gag order against former President Donald Trump in the federal election subversion case, stating that he can be barred from discussing witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, and their families. However, the gag order does not apply to comments made about special counsel Jack Smith. The court's decision emphasizes that Trump can still criticize President Joe Biden and the Justice Department and argue that the prosecution is politically motivated or that he is innocent. The court believes that Trump's public statements could undermine the fairness of a jury trial, intimidate witnesses, and endanger court staff. This is the second time in recent weeks that appeals courts have limited what Trump can say publicly. Trump still has the option to seek further appeals, including at the Supreme Court.
The Fulton County district attorney's office is considering revoking the bond of Trevian Kutti, a co-defendant in the Georgia election subversion case, after she made disparaging remarks about a witness in the case on Instagram. Kutti, who has pleaded not guilty to charges including racketeering and influencing witnesses, is accused of pressuring a Fulton County elections worker. Another co-defendant, Harrison Floyd, was restricted from making social media posts about codefendants or witnesses in the case after his comments on social media. A trial date has not been set yet.
Trevian Kutti, a co-defendant in the Georgia election fraud case alongside Donald Trump, may have violated her bond by threatening a witness in the case. In an Instagram Live video, Kutti stated that she would "f**k up" the life of a witness once the case is over. The video, recorded on November 28, has surfaced through a post by the news website Meidastouch. Kutti's bond prohibits her from engaging in intimidating acts or discussing the case on social media. She is a former publicist for Kanye West and has pleaded not guilty to all charges against her.
Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis, leading the criminal racketeering case against Donald Trump in Georgia, told co-defendant Harrison Floyd to "shut his mouth" in court as a judge rejected her motion to jail him over his social media posts. Willis accused Floyd of intimidating witnesses through his posts and violating his bond agreement. The judge ruled that Floyd technically violated his bond but modified it to reflect the "nuances of social media." Trump has pleaded not guilty to 41 counts in the election interference case, while three ex-Trump lawyers and a bail bondsman have pleaded guilty and accepted plea deals.
A Georgia judge has declined to revoke the bond agreement of Harrison Floyd, a co-defendant of former President Donald Trump in the Georgia election-interference case. While the judge agreed that Floyd had violated the terms of his bond agreement with his social media posts, he instructed the prosecution and defense to propose new, more specific bond terms that would prohibit such posts. Floyd, a former leader of Black Voices for Trump, is facing charges related to his alleged role in a harassment campaign targeting Atlanta election workers. Prosecutors argued that Floyd's posts amounted to indirect communication with witnesses in the case, but the judge emphasized the need to ensure the safety of the witnesses and modify the bond agreement accordingly.