New York prosecutors ask judge to keep Trump gag order in "hush money" case in place

Major elements of a gag order preventing Donald Trump from commenting publicly about certain people involved with his New York criminal trial, including jurors, should remain in place, prosecutors said, perhaps even after Trump is sentenced on July 11.

Prosecutors for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told Justice Juan Merchan in a filing released Friday that the order is needed to shield jurors, attorneys and staffers from threats. Since his conviction three weeks ago, prosecutors wrote, Trump "has not exempted the jurors from his alarming rhetoric that he would have 'every right' to seek retribution as president against the participants in this trial as a consequence of his conviction because 'sometimes revenge can be justified." 

Merchan issued the gag order March 26, barring the former president from making public comments about witnesses, jurors, court and the prosecution staff, as well as the relatives of any counsel or court staffer. Prosecutors said Friday that they agreed with Trump's attorneys that the protections for witnesses were no longer needed, but said the rest of the provisions of the order should remain in place.