New York court employee arrested for disrupting proceedings at Trump's civil fraud trial

Former U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L, Front) sits in the courtroom during his civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court in New York, the United States, on Oct. 18, 2023. (Doug Mills/Pool via Xinhua)

NEW YORK, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- A New York court employee was arrested Wednesday after trying to approach former U.S. President Donald Trump at a Manhattan courtroom, where Trump made another appearance in his civil fraud trial.

The woman was stopped by court officers before she got near Trump and no one involved in the trial was in any danger, according to a statement from the Office of Court Administration, local media reported.

The unnamed woman was charged with contempt of court in the second degree for disrupting a court proceeding. She has been placed on administrative leave and prohibited from entering any state court facilities.

Trump was at the courtroom Tuesday and Wednesday for the third week of the trial, after he attended the first three days of the trial when it got underway earlier this month.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has accused Trump and his company of inflating the value of their assets to obtain more favorable business deals and boost Trump's net worth.

Trump and his attorneys have strongly denied the allegations.

Before the trial began in early October, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled Trump and his company liable for fraud, saying they provided false financial statements for nearly a decade.

The trial is expected to continue until mid-December.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is seen in the courtroom during his civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court in New York, the United States, on Oct. 18, 2023. (Jeenah Moon/Pool via Xinhua)

Former U.S. President Donald Trump (Front) speaks to the media outside the courtroom during his civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court in New York, the United States, on Oct. 18, 2023. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

Former U.S. President Donald Trump (Front) speaks to the media outside the courtroom during his civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court in New York, the United States, on Oct. 18, 2023. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

Former U.S. President Donald Trump (R, Front) sits in the courtroom during his civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court in New York, the United States, on Oct. 18, 2023. (Jeenah Moon/Pool via Xinhua)