Blanche, according to sources in the courtroom, told the jury that Trump could be imprisoned if they convicted him.
"That was outrageous, Mr. Blanche," Merchan said. "Someone who's been a prosecutor as long as you have, someone who's been an attorney as long as you have knows that it's highly inappropriate."
The judge then said that he would provide curative instruction to the jury when they returned from their break.
Newsweek's Katherine Fung, who is inside the courtroom, reported that Merchan addressed the jury upon their return from break—providing instructions about Blanche's prison comment and informing them that he will be the one to decide sentencing.
The former attorney general Bill Barr was personally involved in a decision to release an unusual...
