Judge Probes Claim: Juror’s Relative Predicted Trump’s Conviction

In the high-profile hush money trial of former President Donald Trump, Judge Juan Merchan informed lawyers on Friday about a social media post that has raised concerns regarding jury integrity. A person claiming to be a juror’s cousin posted on Facebook that Trump would be convicted before the official verdict was announced. However, there is no evidence to confirm the poster’s relationship to the juror or their access to inside information.

Judge Merchan stated that the comment appeared on a New York court system’s Facebook post on May 29, a day before Trump’s conviction. The post read, “My cousin is a juror and says Trump is getting convicted.” If true, this would violate court rules prohibiting jurors from discussing the trial with outsiders.

Merchan did not confirm the authenticity of the comment or whether court staff had investigated the matter. The comment, originally on a May 21 post, was no longer visible as of Friday evening. Another post by a user with the same name criticized “MAGA crazies” and reiterated that the user’s cousin, a juror, had predicted Trump’s conviction. This user’s profile self-identifies as a “professional s*** poster.”

Conservative commentators have taken to X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that if the comment was indeed from a juror’s relative, it could be grounds to overturn Trump’s conviction.

Last week, Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, marking the first time a U.S. president has faced criminal conviction. The potential penalties include hefty fines and prison time, though experts speculate that Trump, as a first-time offender, is unlikely to serve prison time. Jury selection for the trial was extensive, involving detailed questioning of potential jurors about their political beliefs, social media presence, and other factors. Jurors were not sequestered but were instructed not to discuss the case outside of court. Their identities remain confidential.

Trump has consistently argued that he cannot get a fair trial in Manhattan due to its liberal political landscape. His request to move the trial to Staten Island, perceived as more conservative, was denied. Trump has also clashed with Judge Merchan and recently sought to lift a gag order that prevents him from criticizing jurors or court personnel’s families, arguing that the reasons for the gag order are no longer valid.