Mayor Eric Adams Says NYC ‘Prepared' if Judge Jails Trump at Rikers Island
Lev Radin, Gary Hershorn, Doug Mills/Getty Images
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) announced that the city's Department of Corrections was prepared to imprison former President Donald Trump at Rikers Island.
Adams' comments came a day after New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, the judge presiding over Trump's business records trial, threatened to jail the former president after finding him in contempt for violating a gag order for the tenth time.
The gag order against Trump prevents him from being able to make public statements about the witnesses in the trial, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's staff, court staff, or family members of staff.
“At President Trump's trial, they were talking about how he might end up in jail if he continues to violate these court orders,” a reporter said. “Is Rikers prepared for that?”
In response to the reporter's question, Adams said the New York City Department of Corrections Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie was “prepared.”
“Our amazing commissioner, she is prepared for whatever comes on Rikers Island, and I'm pretty sure she would be prepared to manage and deal with the situation,” Adams began.
Rikers Island is prepared if former President Trump is ordered to serve time in jail amid his unprecedented trial in Manhattan, Mayor Eric Adams said. pic.twitter.com/nsFEeVWLND
— Apex World News (@apexworldnews) May 7, 2024
“As you see what's happening with Harvey Weinstein, we have to adjust. You know in this business, particularly around law enforcement, we have to adjust whatever comes our way,” Adams added. “But, you know, we don't want to deal with the hypothetical, but they're professionals, they'll be ready.”
Merchan held Trump in contempt on Monday for violating a gag order, giving him a fine of $1,000.
“The last thing I want to consider is jail,” Merchan told Trump. “You are [the] former president and possibly the next president.”
Former President Donald Trump sits as final jurors are sworn in during his criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money allegedly paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York, Friday, April 19, 2024, in this courtroom sketch. (Jane Rosenberg via AP, Pool)
Merchan continued to tell Trump that although he did not want to jail Trump, he had a job to do.
“Your continued violations of this Court's lawful Order threaten to interfere with the administration of justice in constant attack, which constitute a direct attack on the rule of law,” Merchan added.
Last week Merchan held Trump in contempt for having violated the gag order nine times, issuing him a $1,000 fine for each violation.
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