Underwear snafu delays Mar-a-Lago trespassing trial
An absence of undies briefly postponed the start of jury selection Monday for the trial of a woman accused of sneaking into President Trump’s posh Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
Chinese businesswoman Yujing Zhang was brought into the courtroom wearing brown prison garb and told the judge that she wasn’t able to wear civilian clothing because she hadn’t been given any undergarments, The Associated Press reported.
Following a discussion about what agency was responsible for providing her with underwear, Zhang, 33, was taken to a holding cell and returned wearing a copper-colored blouse and khaki pants seized from her hotel room following her arrest.
During another bizarre incident, Zhang, a consultant from Shanghai who’s acting as her own defense lawyer, launched into a lengthy monologue in Mandarin when Fort Lauderdale federal Judge Roy Altman tried to convince her to accept court-appointed attorneys.
Altman also scolded Zhang when she told him that “I don’t know why I am here” and said she thought the trial had been cancelled.
“You know precisely why you are here,” Altman said.
Opening statements were expected later Monday.
Zhang was busted March 30 after she allegedly lied to a Secret Service agent to gain entrance to Trump’s swank Palm Beach resort.
Trump, who was staying at Mar-a-Lago that weekend, was at his nearby golf club at the time.
Zhang faces up to six years in prison if convicted in the incident, which sparked a probe into whether she was working as a Chinese spy.
Zhang was caught while carrying computer gear and four cellphones, and authorities found additional electronics – including a device to detect hidden cameras – and $8,000 in cash in her nearby hotel room.
Prosecutors have filed evidence under seal that allegedly has national security implications, but haven’t charged her with espionage.
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