A man set fire to himself outside the New York courthouse where former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place, stunning reporters who were covering the trial live. The incident, which occurred at 1:36 p.m. local time, left the man in critical condition and four officers with minor injuries. The man, identified as Maxwell Azzarello from St. Augustine, Florida, threw pamphlets containing conspiracy theories before setting himself on fire. Officials noted that Azzarello did not appear to target any specific person or group during the incident.
The New York Police Department held a press conference where they revealed that Azzarello’s family members were unaware he was in New York. He was rushed to the New York Presbyterian-Cornell hospital for treatment, while officers at the scene tried to assist him. Chief Jeffrey Maddrey stated that Azzarello seemed to be a conspiracy theorist, based on the content of the papers he threw out before lighting himself on fire. The incident took place near the court’s media staging area, where reporters from news outlets such as CNN were covering the trial.
Trump’s hush money trial began this week, with the former president facing 34 felony charges related to allegations of falsifying business records. Prosecutors claim that Trump mislabeled a $420,000 payment to his former attorney Michael Cohen to allegedly reimburse him for a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. This was allegedly done to cover up an affair she claimed to have had with Trump. Jury selection for the trial was completed on Friday, with several jurors excused due to bias. The jury consists of seven men and five women from various industries including investment banking, education, law, and retail. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has raised concerns about the impartiality of Judge Juan Merchan.
As the hush money trial continues, the incident involving Azzarello has brought additional attention to the case. The shocking act of self-immolation has raised questions about the motives and mental state of the man involved. Despite the tragic nature of the incident, the trial is proceeding as scheduled with the selected jury members. Trump’s legal team continues to maintain his innocence and challenges the impartiality of the presiding judge. The trial is garnering significant media attention, both for the allegations against Trump and the disturbing events that have occurred outside the courthouse during the proceedings.
