Donald Trump’s Court Case Fiasco: Employee Arrested After Yelling and Attempting to Approach Former Prez During Fraud Trial

Former President Donald Trump’s ongoing civil fraud trial in lower Manhattan took an unexpected turn on Wednesday, October 18, when a New York state court employee was arrested for attempting to approach him.

The woman, identified as Jenny Hannigan, was charged with contempt of court after disrupting the proceedings in the Manhattan Supreme Court by walking toward the front of the courtroom and yelling out to Trump.

Hannigan, who works as a secretary for a judge in Queens, was stopped by court officers before she could reach the former President and his attorneys, who were seated at the defense table. Office of Court Administration spokesman Lucian Chalfen assured that none of the parties were ever in any danger.

According to outlets, the incident occurred just before noon, and Hannigan was escorted out of the courtroom. Hannigan was wearing a black dress and matching blazer when she was apprehended.

A reporter from inside the courtroom claimed they did not hear Hannigan yell. She was, however, caught speaking loudly in the hallway afterward.

When Trump was asked about the incident upon leaving the court at approximately 3:30 p.m., he claimed to have no knowledge of the arrest or any commotion caused by the woman. “Who got arrested? We didn’t know anything about it,” he told reporters.

The court officers initially asked Hannigan to take a seat in the gallery before requesting to speak with her outside the courtroom. She entered the crowded hallway, speaking loudly and disturbing the peace within the courthouse.

A group of officers surrounded her and asked her to lower her voice. Eventually, she was escorted downstairs, where she continued to yell for help and attract attention for several minutes until she was finally handcuffed.

Inside the courtroom, testimony by Doug Larson, a real estate appraiser, continued without interruption.

However, Trump was reportedly agitated during Larson's previous testimony, muttering to his lawyers and gesturing. His behavior prompted a lawyer from the New York Attorney General's office to object and ask Trump to stop commenting during the witness's testimony.

Justice Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the case, issued a warning to everyone in the courtroom to keep quiet, particularly if they were trying to influence a witness's testimony.

Trump's lawyers later claimed that Larson had lied on the stand, and Larson was asked to leave the room as the attorneys and the judge discussed the claim.

The claim revolved around whether Larson had worked with Jeff McConney, a co-defendant in the case who is also the Trump Organization's controller. Trump's attorney accused Larson of lying about not working with McConney, producing an email as evidence of their communication at that time.

Larson denied the accusation, and the defense team suggested he consult with his lawyer about his potential perjury risk.

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A source spoke with the New York Post about the outburst that took place in the courthouse.