Retired California Superior Court Judge LaDoris Cordell said Tuesday on MSNBC’s “All In” that she would give former President Donald Trump jail time for violating a gag order but stay it until the end of the New York trial.
Host Chris Hayes said, “I found it striking when the district attorney said he appears to want that penalty. He is basically trying to get himself thrown in jail for some stunned reason. What did you think about that?”
Cordell said, “I think that is irrelevant. It doesn’t matter.”
Hayes said, “That is interesting.”
Cordell said, “Some people say he will go to jail and he will be a martyr. It doesn’t matter. There are two purposes of contempt. One is to punish and one is to deter future behavior. The fine will not deter, but incarceration will. The question is, will the judge do it?”
She added, “If I were the trial judge I would in impose jail time. I would stay it meaning you’re not going to jail right now, because that would delay the trial, which is what Donald Trump and his people want. I would stay at, meaning I will sentence you to whatever time I find appropriate and I will impose that at the end of the trial, maybe while the jurors are deliberating. There is nothing to prevent the judge from doing that.”
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