Donald Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, did not fail to tick a box to request a jury trial in the New York civil fraud case despite widely circulated claims. Judge Arthur Engoron amended his comments of “nobody asked for” a jury trial on Wednesday following the false reports, arguing the claim “keeps coming up”. He explained that New York Attorney General Letitia James “clearly checked off non-jury” before the proceedings began.
“It would not have helped to make a motion, nobody forgot to check off a box,” Engoron explained, adding the punishment sought by the state of New York is an “equitable” remedy rather than a “legal” remedy.
Habba, who was forced to defend herself and the former President’s legal team amidst the false accusations, said in court following clarification, “Thank you, your honor. Press, did you hear that? I didn’t ‘forget to check the box’.”
Attorney General James is accusing Trump of corrupting his relationship with banks and insurers for over a decade by giving them financial statements that inflated his net worth. However, she likely arrived at this conclusion by deflating the estimated worth of Trump’s assets, such as his Mar-a-Lago mansion, which she claimed was worth just $18 million, despite a nearby patch of trees selling for $150 million. She is seeking $250 million in damages.
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