The first day of the historic trial against Donald Trump (77) is underway. There were early signs that the former president sees the whole thing as a farce.
– Something like this has never happened before, Trump said when he arrived at the courtroom in Manhattan in New York on Monday morning local time.
The former President of the United States is the first head of state in American history to appear as a defendant in a criminal case.
Trump is being sued for violating the Accountability Act. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of forging business documents.
At the heart of the matter is “hush money” which reportedly paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, to get her to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump in 2006.
On his way into court, Trump said he is experiencing the case as political persecution.
He seemed to fall asleep in the courtroom
There are many signs that Trump sees the trial, known as a bribery case, as a farce.
– They have no case, Trump said before the trial began, and then he referred to the entire trial as “political persecution” of himself.
Trump must attend the trial, which is expected to last until May.
Several media reported on Monday that the former president should have entered the courtroom.
– Mr. Trump seemed to be joking a couple of times, says Maggie Haberman, a political reporter in the New York Times.
His head fell on his chest and he did not follow a message from his lawyer, the reporter explained.
The newspaper says Trump was irritated and tired during parts of the test. But he will also show emotion in his usual way when he laughed and snorted.
“Sleazebags”
The bribery case is one of four criminal cases that the former president has against him. Legal experts describe the case as the worst.
Trump, who denies the charges, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. At the same time, the election campaign in the United States is reaching a stage, where Trump hopes to return to the White House.
The charges relate to $130,000 (NOK 1.4 million) paid by Trump’s lawyer and negotiator, Michael Cohen, to Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election. Trump won by a narrow margin in the states sure
Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, reportedly received the money to hide the fact that she and Trump had had sex in a hotel ten years earlier.
Trump denies that he and Daniels ever had sex. At the time it is said, he had been married for a year and a half to his third wife, Melania, who later became the first lady of the United States.
The former president has again engaged Daniels and Cohen, who are now set to testify against Trump in the trial.
They are both “sleazebags” who have cost the United States dearly with their lies, Trump said recently.
An adjournment was requested on May 17
A jury will now be selected. It may take several days as hundreds of potential applicants must be evaluated.
The group is to be whittled down to just twelve jurors and six representatives. Potential jurors must answer a series of questions from Judge Juan M. Merchan, including whether they have participated in far-right groups.
After jury selection, witness statements in the case will continue. However, Trump has asked for May 17 because his youngest son, Baron (18), will be graduating from high school that day. One of Trump’s lawyers has also asked for time off on June 3 so he can go to his son’s graduation, AP writes.
Judge Merchan has said he will not rule on the motions now, but if the trial continues as planned, he may be willing to adjourn the trial for a day or two.
The entire trial can last eight weeks.
In the first version of the case, it was said that Trump was at risk of four years in prison after the accusation. The correct thing is that each charge carries a penalty of up to four years. New York state provides a maximum total sentence of 20 years for such crimes. The article was corrected on 15 April at 23.51.
2024-04-15 19:39:26
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