Trump attorney Alina Habba called a 'paid mouthpiece' as she raises concerns over impartiality of jury instructions in hush money trial

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: Alina Habba, who joined Donald Trump's legal team in 2021, recently expressed apprehension regarding the impartiality of jury instructions in the ex-POTUS New York hush money trial.

Speaking to Fox News host Sean Duffy, the attorney asserted that she had "zero confidence" in Judge Juan Merchan's ability to deliver unbiased instructions favoring neither the prosecution nor the defense.

Alina Habba highlights the significance of jury instructions in legal proceedings

Emphasizing the pivotal role of jury instructions as the guiding principles for jurors, Habba underscored her concerns about the judge's potential bias toward the prosecution. 

She remarked, "This judge is the judge that determines the jury instructions. The jury instructions are the roadmap for non-attorneys and jurors to follow the law."

"It's going to be critical and frankly, at this point, I have zero confidence in the fact that this person, who should not be sitting on the bench right now, will do the right thing and give jury instructions that are in an appropriate manner without any persuasion towards the prosecution," conveyed Habba to Duffy on 'Sunday Morning Futures' during the Memorial Day weekend.

The Trump attorney also echoed widespread sentiments that the case lacks merit, citing its expiration under the statute of limitations and the absence of clear criminal offenses.

She told Duffy, "There was no case… We've been sitting here. We saw no facts, and the last resort for the prosecution is going to be this judge with political motivations, going to give them instructions on how to decide the fate of a former president and the future president of the United States." 

In the hush money case, Trump stands accused of falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. 

Alina Habba slams Judge Juan Merchan for failing to sequester the jury ahead of the Memorial Day holiday

Highlighting flaws in the prosecution's case, including unreliable witness testimony from former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, Habba voiced apprehension about the potential for external influences to sway jurors' opinions during the interim period.

She expressed dismay that the jurors were not sequestered ahead of the Memorial Day recess, fearing that exposure to biased media coverage or discussions with friends and family could impact their decision-making process.

Habba remarked, "They should have been sequestered because, in my opinion, these jurors are handling something that is completely unprecedented and unwarranted in America and for them to be able to be out and about on a holiday weekend with friends and families who have opinions, who are watching the news, the TV is on the background at the pool party…"

She added, "I have serious concerns if they're left wing and they're watching MSDNC, as my client calls it, or CNN, they're not going to get fair news ... I have worries about them going back to whatever friends might have ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome,’ forgetting all sense of reality, and coming back and sitting in that box and saying, you know what, I have got to take one for the DNC [Democratic National Committee]." 

Closing arguments in the hush money trial are set to begin on Tuesday, May 28. 

Internet reacts to Trump lawyer Alina Habba's concerns regarding jury instructions in the hush money trial

One wrote, "You are quoting Habba? World’s Worst lawyer," and another said, "Actual lawyers would disagree.."

"Don’t need any facts, the fix is in to convict Trump!" declared a person, while someone else added, "The errors that @AlinaHabba states in this lame interview are too numerous to mention. She will be barred soon!"

One more expressed, "According to his PAID mouthpiece This isn’t news, Money Phony." 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.