Defendant Donald Trump's trial demeanor has him being sketched or photographed looking cross, sleeping, slouching, and bored, and this is likely vexing his trial attorney Todd Blanche.
Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara made note of the four days of trial wearing down former President Donald Trump's pristine veneer, resulting in him scowling at the judge and craning his head to make eyes with some jurors.
Already, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan has admonished Trump for “muttering” and “gesturing” in court.
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This is damaging, according to Bharara.
"I guarantee you Todd Blanche, who I know very well — I used to work with him at the Southern District of New York is mortified that his client is making faces," he said during an appearance on CNN. "And doing things like that and obviously, the jury is going to take into account the evidence as it comes in but they're human beings and they will form an opinion of the sitting defendant if he if he acts out and it's probably not to his benefit."
During the not-so-impromptu pressers that have defined each trial day where the former president saunters to a throng of reporters to hammer home it's all a "witch hunt" — standing by his side has been the mum Todd Blanche.
The white-collar esquire was brought on to Trump's legal team last year during his notorious arraignment where the former president was processed and forced to pose for a mugshot.
Blanche served as a federal prosecutor for nearly a decade.
For Bharara, Trump still appears to be unaware that his seemingly gruff disposition in the courtroom could do him harm when a jury sits to render a verdict.
"With respect to his demeanor, I will tell you that it may be the case that at rallies and other political functions, when he acts an overacts and makes faces and does his thing — people enjoy it," Bharara said. "But this is not a MAGA rally."
"It's 12 jurors who were sworn to uphold their oath as jurors; a sacrosanct duty, civic duty and in my experience, they'll be watching the defendant in this case, Donald Trump, very carefully and if they detect that the defendant, Donald Trump, is not taking the proceeding seriously or is contemptuous of them or is not comporting himself with respect towards the judge and the others in the room that is to his detriment."
