Send Judge Merchan a message about what punishment you want for Trump

[David Boyle]

[e-mail]

That's Judge Juan Merchan's e-mail. Send him a message, e.g., give Trump 4 years in prison; or, at least 4 days; or, a fine (at least a dollar, maybe many dollars); or, scrubbing toilets at Rikers; or, probation; or, whatever you like.

While it may be unpleasant to hear the prospect of no punishment for Trump, at least the judge didn't dismiss the felony convictions. That would've been horrible.

And importantly, Merchan notes at https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFs/press/PDFs/People%20v.%20DJT%20Clayton%20Decision.pdf , p. 17, "While this Court as a matter of law must not make any determination on sentencing prior to giving the parties and Defendant an opportunity to be heard, it seems proper at this juncture to make known the Court's inclination..."
In other words, Merchan hasn't made his determination yet. He's not allowed to.
So, send him a message about what you think.

He may ignore you, but if you send him a message, you've

DONE YOUR PART. Who can ask more.

Thanks for doing your part. God bless you, and God bless America.

[David Boyle]

1. U-S-A! U-S-A!!

U-S-A!!!

[Ocelot II]

2. He's bound by the law, including the state's sentencing guidelines,

and by the fact that the prosecution is not requesting prison time. Emails from the public demanding anything else will not make a lick of difference, nor should it.

[David Boyle]

3. We do not know that

If the public has an informed opinion, it can make a difference. Too, there can be fines, etc., not prison time.

If you want to mail the DA Alvin Bragg, here we are: [e-mail]

Thanks for replying!

[Polybius]

12. Bragg cherry picks his battles

There's crime that he looks the other way on, and other acts that he had no business prosecuting.

[lees1975]

4. It will be a gross injustice if he does not get prison time.

Just another privileged billionaire trashing the rule of law because he can buy his way out.

Why should any of us obey the law anymore?

[David Boyle]

5. Then write Merchan!

Speak your piece! Merchan's e-mail above.

Thanks!

[FBaggins]

6. DO NOT do this

You’re focusing on the wrong “he’s not allowed to”.

He’s also not allowed to receive outside communications like this.

“A judge shall not initiate, permit, or consider ex parte communications, or consider other communications made to the judge outside the presence of the parties or their lawyers, concerning a pending* or impending matter,*…”

[Ocelot II]

8. Which means that he won't consider anything that's sent to him

demanding some punishment other than what the prosecution and defense have agreed to and that's within the sentencing guidelines - because he can't. I used to work for a judge; he got all sorts of mail demanding one thing or another, and none of it ever entered into a court decision. Judges don't and can't make their decisions on the basis of demands by members of the public.

[David Boyle]

9. Interesting

I've heard many times, I thought, about the public writing lots of letters to judges (e.g., in big controversial cases); I doubt that the public always also sends a copy to the defendant and prosecutor. (And a member of the public writing, is different from one of the actual parties privately writing to the judge.)

Still, to be on the safe side, if people just want to write Alvin Bragg (requesting he ask for a fine, or what-have-you) instead of Merchan, that could work too. Or if people want to write all three (Merchan, Bragg, Trump's lawyer), they can do that too.

Thaks to you and FBaggins for weighing in.

[David Boyle]

10. "Thanks", not "thaks"

Correction!

[Ocelot II]

11. People can write all they want; it just won't make any difference.

It's kind of like internet petitions - makes you feel good because you think you're doing something even though you really aren't. And think about this: What if Trump's DoJ started prosecuting his political enemies, and his appointed judges based their decisions in those cases on letters and emails from MAGA mouth-breathers? What if Hunter Biden hadn't been pardoned before sentencing, and somebody like Steve Bannon urged Trump cultists to write to the judge and demand that he sentence Hunter to years and years in prison? There's a damn good reason judges can't consider materials that weren't presented as part of the case; it's to be sure they don't yield to pressure from the public. "The public" includes a lot of idiots.

[David Boyle]

14. Maybe so

I do see a submission form for the DOJ, though, https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice .

So people can weigh in to some extent, it seems.

[Ocelot II]

16. The Department of Justice isn't part of the judicial branch. You can write to them on this form

to supply tips or information about crimes or maybe complain about a crime not being prosecuted, for example, but nothing you write to DoJ will go to any judge because DoJ is part of the executive and not the judicial branch. Also, Judge Merchan isn't federal at all. He's a NY state court judge.

[David Boyle]

19. I know he's state

Just trying to make a point.

Also, I know DOJ isn't the judiciary; I was making the point that sometimes people mail prosecutors.

[Ocelot II]

21. Mailing prosecutors isn't the same as mailing judges, though it's equally pointless.

The OP was an exhortation to put pressure on Judge Merchan, not the prosecutor (who, by the way, is also not demanding prison time). Judges are required to be impartial and can't consider material coming from outside the proceedings. Prosecutors aren't impartial but they still have to follow the law and the evidence.

[David Boyle]

22. No pressure, just opinion

No one was saying to whup Merchan with a blackjack if he resists.

Too, no one is saying to disregard the law or evidence. Thank goodness.

[paleotn]

7. What punishment?

If I commit my thoughts to writing, digital or otherwise, I'm sure to get a visit from the Secret Service. My idea of just punishment for that bastard is off the table unfortunately.

[David Boyle]

28. Do a lite version

With nothing illegal.

[Trueblue1968]

36. 25 YEARS IN JAIL

Or send him to the moon.


I way trip.

[David Boyle]

37. But does the moon deserve better?

[Trueblue1968]

38. He and all the GOPigs would be off our earth forever. That is all i care about.

[David Boyle]

41. "Fly me to the moon..."

Thank you Frank Sinatra!

[UTUSN]

13. Knr

[GP6971]

17. Have a Link?

[GP6971]

18. Please let us know who these trolls are....initials are good. I'm sure MIRT can figure it out.

p

[David Boyle]

20. Heh

It's good to hear different opinions, though...

[Meowmee]

23. He will never see a day of prison or any REAL consequences

For any of his crimes. It is just another bad joke in a long line of enablement and appeasement. He should have been in prison long ago and should have been charged with many crimes long before being installed into power.

[David Boyle]

24. You never know

what God will do...

[Meowmee]

25. Hopefully if there is a god etc.

Justice will be served

[David Boyle]

26. AMEN!

[Intractable]

29. God will do nothing.

Betcha.

[David Boyle]

31. Eeeee

[Intractable]

32. How informative.

[David Boyle]

33. Expressing my horror that God might do nothing,

and ole Devil might prevail...

[Intractable]

34. Oh, is that what you mean?

Good luck convincing supernatural beings to interfere in our politics.

I'm sure you are a sincere believer. Feel free to pray all you want. But, please don't ever confuse it with actual causal action.

[David Boyle]

35. You never know...

[LonePirate]

27. He should be sentenced to prison time that he must begin serving at 1pm on January 20, 2029.

His presidency is over then and nothing could stop him from serving his time, provided he is still alive then.

Of course, if Merchan truly believed in seeing justice carried out, he would sentence him to jail immediately for at least a month.

Does anyone know what the state guidelines for sentencing are in cases with similar convictions?

[David Boyle]

30. Sometimes there has been no jail time for these types of crimes

"Non-violent", first-time, etc.

Then again, given Trump's lack of repentance...

Too, re Merchan saying, "..it seems proper at this juncture to make known the Court's inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration, a sentence authorized by the conviction but one the People concede they no longer view as a practicable recommendation", I don't see DA Bragg actually saying that latter thing.

So if, say, you want to mail anyone to point that out (though some commentators above think nothing should be mailed to Merchan that's not mailed to Bragg and Trump's lawyers also), that's up to you.

Thanks for commenting!

[Sogo]

39. Deportation!

nt.

[David Boyle]

40. Haw haw

"What goes around, comes ar..."