Donald Trump’s decision to attend the wake of a slain New York City police officer may put him in good stead with the jury in his upcoming criminal trial, a former federal prosecutor has said.
Bill Shipley, a lawyer who now represents some of the defendants charged in connection with the January 6 attack, suggested that the former president’s falsifying business records trial could result in a hung jury if the jury is swayed by Trump’s visit to the service for officer Jonathan Diller, who was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Monday after approaching an illegally parked vehicle. Two suspects have been arrested and charged.
Trump, who frequently proclaimed himself to be a “law and order” president, attended Diller’s wake in Massapequa on Long Island on Thursday. A number of Republican and MAGA figures used the visit to attack Trump’s 2024 rival, President Joe Biden, who was in New York the same day to attend a pre-scheduled fundraiser alongside former Democratic presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, before it was confirmed Trump would attend the Diller’s wake, Shipley said “Please let this be true” while saying the move could help Trump in his upcoming criminal trial and his 2024 election hopes.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
“Please let this be a Trump campaign ad that runs in April and May in NYC media,” Shipley wrote.
“If it is, when Trump gets no worse than a hung jury in the NY case being tried in Manhattan, we’ll all know why. And the progressive tears will flow like a river.”
Trump’s legal team has been contacted for comment via email.
A verdict in a jury trial must be unanimous, meaning every juror must agree on the verdict. If they can’t all agree, this will result in a hung jury, and the judge will declare a mistrial unless they can reach a decision upon further deliberations.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to so-called “hush money” he arranged for his former lawyer Michael Cohen to pay adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep an alleged affair she and Trump had a secret ahead of the 2016 election.
The trial proceeding, which will begin with jury selection, is due to start on April 15 in Manhattan.
Trump previously failed to get the trial moved to the more Republican-friendly area of New York City, Staten Island, arguing that he would not be able to get a fair and balanced jury in Manhattan.
Chuck Rosenberg, a former U.S. attorney and senior FBI official, previously rejected Trump’s argument and said there is no precedent for moving the location of trials based on perceived jury bias.
“We tried a 9/11 conspirator in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia—Alexandria, about three miles from the Pentagon—and we were able to assemble a fair jury,” Rosenberg told MSNBC.
“So, you’re not looking for a jury that’s never heard of Donald Trump or Stormy Daniels or hush money payments. You’re not looking for a jury or jurors that have no opinions.
“You’re looking for jurors who can be fair, who can sit in the courtroom, listen to the evidence, and follow the instructions of the judge,” he added. “That’s all you’re looking for.”
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.