THE hush money trial into alleged extramarital sexual relations between adult film actress Stormy Daniels and defendant Donald Trump in New York, United States (US) opened on Monday (15/4). This trial also broke history by making Trump the first former US president to face criminal threats.
This is also a stumbling block for Trump who is trying to seize the seat of US power from Biden in the November election. Trump has repeatedly described the hush money case as a fraud.
However, the reality faced by this 77 year old man and hard-line Republican politician is very difficult. In addition to the indictment in this case, also Judge Juan Merchan. He required criminal defendants to attend court, otherwise they would be arrested.
Merchan also warned Trump once morest repeating his past efforts to disrupt the trial with inflammatory social media posts and unleashing anger in the courtroom.
He scheduled a hearing next week to consider whether Trump’s actions were insulting or not. The names of the 12 jurors are being withheld to protect once morest the risk of bribery or even physical violence in what is expected to be a tortuous process.
Meanwhile, of the 96 prospective panelists in the first batch who were appointed, at least 50 people were disallowed because they were deemed unable to be fair and impartial in a case involving one of the most famous and controversial people in the world.
Also read: Jury Selection for Trump Trial: Investigation of Political Tendencies
Nine other people were allowed to withdraw, while other potential jurors were asked regarding their education, hobbies and news consumption. The process, which will resume on Tuesday (16/4), at 13.30 local time, might take up to two weeks, according to one of Trump’s lawyers.
Merchan also indicated his opposition to allowing Trump out of court next week, when the US Supreme Court will hear his claim of presidential immunity in another unrelated case.
“This is fraud. This is a political witch hunt. We have a real problem with this judge (Merchan),” Trump said as he left the court, Monday (15/4).
Also read: Donald Trump’s historic bribery criminal trial will begin in New York
The Republican presidential candidate is accused of falsifying business records in a scheme to cover up an alleged extramarital sexual relationship with adult film actress Stormy Daniels to protect his first election campaign, in 2016, from last-minute upheaval.
He faces three other criminal cases over hoarding classified documents following leaving office and protests over his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.
The proceedings of the trial
Throughout this trial, attorneys for both sides in the case bickered with Merchan over admissible evidence. Trump, shoulders hunched, stared straight ahead or stared at a computer next to his legal team.
Also read: Trump criticizes expansion of speech ban in New York trial
According to a New York Times reporter sitting near Trump, he at times appeared to be asleep, with his head lolling. Prosecutors demanded that Trump be fined for violating Merchan’s previously imposed gag order.
Prosecutors tried to get the former president to stop attacking potential witnesses and others in the courtroom via social media. Wearing a red tie, white shirt and his trademark blue jacket, Trump struck a defiant tone when he arrived at the courthouse.
He told a crowd of journalists that his trial was an attack on America. Outside, in a small but noisy pro-Trump protest, supporters of the former commander shouted obscenities regarding Biden and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the top prosecutor.
One Trump supporter waved a flag saying Trump or die. If convicted in the hush money case, Trump might potentially face years in prison, but legal observers say the sanctions he would receive would likely be limited to a fine. (AFP/Z-3)
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