New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan is presiding over the grand jury for the Manhattan DA’s investigation of former President Trump and will get the case if an indictment is filed, a court source tells Fox News.
Merchan was the judge overseeing the case and trial of the Trump Organization and its former CFO, Allen Weisselberg. Merchan is also the judge presiding over the fraud case against Steve Bannon regarding the “We Build the Wall” organization.
Merchan finally sentenced Weisselberg to five months in prison last year and ordered Trump’s companies to pay a $1.6 million fine, the maximum amount under New York state law.
Manhattan Attorney General Alvin Bragg could issue charges against Trump as early as Wednesday afternoon.
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New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan will preside over former President Donald Trump’s case if he is indicted.
Former President Donald Trump predicted he would be arrested sometime this week. (Sam Wolfe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The New York City Police Department met Monday to discuss the logistics of a possible indictment against Trump. While an indictment is far from certain, Trump himself has called on his supporters to “protest” and “take our country back” in the event of his arrest.
The NYPD and US Capitol Police have already begun taking precautions in anticipation of possible protests. NYPD officers were ordered to be in uniform and on standby Tuesday, the day Trump initially predicted he would be arrested.
The USCP has also erected barricades at key points around the US Capitol and is calling for more manpower. However, the organization clarified that it is not aware of any specific threats and is acting only out of an abundance of caution.
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So far, few of Trump’s supporters have heeded his call to “PROTEST, PROTEST, PROTEST” and “take our country back.” Only a handful arrived outside Bragg’s office on Tuesday, and they were outnumbered by protesters calling for Trump’s impeachment.
“I wish more people had shown up,” Trump supporter Philippe Lejeune, who was at the protest, told Politico.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks at a news conference on Sept. 8, 2022, in New York City. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
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Trump would be the first former president in US history to face criminal charges if indicted.
Bragg’s investigation is just one of three facing Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith is investigating the former president’s alleged mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, and prosecutors in Georgia are investigating Trump’s attempts to overturn the results of their state’s 2020 election.
Marta Dhanis is a reporter and field producer based in New York who focuses on criminal justice and the courts. Follow her on Twitter: @MartaDhanis
