Topic: Judge Merchan

In the Manhattan criminal trial of Donald Trump, the jury began deliberations after receiving instructions from Judge Juan Merchan. Legal experts highlight a controversial instruction stating that jurors do not have to agree unanimously on the specific underlying crime Trump was allegedly trying to hide. This "abnormal" legal standard is a major point of contention for the defense, which maintains that no crime was committed.

On his "Dersh Cast," Alan Dershowitz speculated on a "cynical" scenario where Judge Merchan might replace a deadlocked juror with an alternate. Dershowitz suggests that if a single juror refuses to convict, the judge could claim they are "violating their oath" by not deliberating and substitute them to achieve a unanimous verdict. This theory underscores the perceived bias of the court against Donald Trump.