According to a report, former President Donald Trump spoke a total of 10 words during his arraignment on 34 felony offenses in a New York City courtroom on Tuesday.
Following a grand jury investigation, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump last week.
Bragg alleged that Trump falsified business documents regarding alleged “hush money” payments to two women who claimed to have had encounters with Trump prior to the 2016 election.
Trump has refuted the affairs and entered not-guilty pleas to all criminal charges.
The Washington Post obtained a transcript of the closed-door arraignment of Donald Trump.
The newspaper reports that Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy asked Judge Juan Merchan to prevent Trump from posting case-related information online.
Conroy also stated that he was concerned about Trump’s social media tone.
One of Trump’s attorneys, Todd Blanche, defended the former president’s online response to allegations against him.
He characterized Trump’s response as suitable and non-threatening.
“He has rights,” Blanche added. “He’s allowed to speak publicly.”
Merchan ordered all parties to refrain from making inflammatory remarks and inquired about Trump’s confession to the charges.
“Not guilty,” said Trump.
Thereafter, it was debated whether there was a conflict of interest between Trump and one of his attorneys, Joe Tacopina.
The DA’s office argued that Stormy Daniels had previously contacted Tacopina, but he declined to represent her.
Merchan asked Trump whether he was aware of his right to “conflict-free representation.”
“Yes,” Trump said in response.
Merchan informed Trump that he was free to discuss the matter with his counsel, at which point Trump responded, “Okay, thank you.”
The judge, who donated to Joe Biden prior to the 2020 presidential election, then informed Trump that it would be in his best interest to attend all of his court proceedings.
Trump responded, “Yes,” when asked if he comprehended.
Merchan then asked Trump if he understood that he could be removed from future proceedings for disruptive behavior.
“I do,” Trump said in response.
Trump was then questioned if he understood that he could be prosecuted in his absence if he chose not to appear.
“Yes,” he said.
The arraignment lasted approximately an hour, and neither cameras nor microphones were permitted in the courtroom. Merchan concurred with Trump’s counsel that permitting the public to observe the proceeding would generate a “circus-like atmosphere.”