By NewsBlogger Former President Donald Trump is currently facing a criminal hush money trial in Manhattan, accused of falsifying business records to hide a payment to Stormy Daniels, with potential witnesses including Daniels, Karen McDougal, and Michael Cohen.
At a glance
- Former President Donald Trump is facing a criminal hush money trial in Manhattan.
- The trial began on April 15 and featured potential witnesses such as Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, Michael Cohen, and Trump himself.
- If convicted, Trump could potentially face over a decade in prison.
- There is a chance that Trump could receive probation instead of jail time.
- The trial revolves around hush money payments, including the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels.
The details
Former President Donald Trump is currently facing a criminal hush money trial in Manhattan, marking the first time an American president has been on trial for criminal charges.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has accused Trump of falsifying business records to hide a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Trump has denied the affair and any wrongdoing.
The trial began on April 15 and featured potential witnesses such as Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, Michael Cohen, David Pecker, Hope Hicks, and Trump himself.
If convicted, Trump could potentially face over a decade in prison, as New York has a 20-year sentencing cap for the type of offense he is charged with.
Judge Juan Merchan has the authority to show leniency in sentencing due to Trump’s clean criminal record and the non-violent nature of the crimes.
There is a chance that Trump could receive probation instead of jail time.
Concerns have been raised about Secret Service protection for Trump as a former president if he were to be imprisoned.
Apart from the hush money trial, Trump is also dealing with other criminal indictments and appeals in different states.
Trump’s legal team has employed various defenses and tactics to delay the hush money case, including claims of presidential immunity and multiple trial postponements, all of which have been unsuccessful thus far.
The trial revolves around hush money payments, including the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, which Trump initially denied but later acknowledged.
Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, made the payment to Daniels and later testified that it was meant to influence the 2016 election.
Despite Trump’s attempts to stall the trial, such as legal action against the judge and requests for a change of venue, the trial proceeded as planned with opening statements delivered on April 15.
In essence, the trial is ongoing, and the focus is on presenting the facts to determine whether Trump engaged in any criminal activity related to the hush money payments.
The trial is anticipated to provide insight into the specifics surrounding the payments and the potential legal consequences for the former president.
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| independent.co.uk |
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| – Donald Trump is the first American president to go on trial on criminal charges – Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has accused Trump of falsifying business records to conceal a payment to Stormy Daniels – Trump denies the affair and any wrongdoing – Potential witnesses in the trial include Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, Michael Cohen, David Pecker, Hope Hicks, and Trump himself – If found guilty, Trump could face more than a decade in prison – New York imposes a 20-year sentencing cap for the type of offence Trump is charged with – Judge Juan Merchan could choose to be lenient in sentencing due to Trump’s lack of criminal record and non-violent nature of the crimes – Trump could potentially be placed on probation instead of receiving jail time – Questions remain about Secret Service protection for Trump as a former president if he were to be incarcerated – Trump is also facing other criminal indictments and appeals in various states – The hush money trial began on April 15, with opening statements expected on April 22. |
| independent.co.uk |
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| – Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial began with opening statements from prosecution and defense – 12 jurors and six alternates will hear evidence against Trump and his counter-argument – Trump complained about the case on Truth Social and posted presidential immunity claims – Trump’s planned rally in North Carolina was canceled due to bad weather – Melania Trump helped raise $1m at a Mar-a-Lago dinner for a conservative LGBT+ group – Legal fees ate up three-quarters of the cash brought in by the pro-Trump Save America PAC – A hearing will be held on whether to cancel Trump’s $175m bond to appeal a civil fraud trial ruling – Witness statements in a classified documents case will be publicly filed – Michael Avenatti, serving a 19-year sentence, is willing to testify on behalf of Trump – Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker is expected to be the first witness called by the prosecution – Trump’s legal team plans to focus on the facts to show he did nothing wrong – Trump has made posts on Truth Social criticizing the media and invoking conspiracy theories – Trump’s legal team has tried various defenses and delays in the hush money case, none successful so far |
| independent.co.uk |
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| – Former president Donald Trump’s legal team has used various defences and attempts to delay his hush money case. – The case began on April 15, with opening statements expected on April 22. – The case revolves around hush money payments, including $130,000 to Stormy Daniels. – Trump initially denied the payment and affair, but later admitted to the payment. – Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, made the payment to Daniels. – Cohen later testified that he made the payments to influence the 2016 election. – Trump’s lawyers argued that the charges were multiplicitous and that he was impermissibly targeted for prosecution. – Trump’s lawyers also claimed that he was acting on the advice of counsel and requested a delay in the trial. – The judge rejected Trump’s claims of presidential immunity and efforts to stall the case. – Trump made extraordinary efforts to delay the trial, including filing litigation against the judge and requesting a change of venue. – Despite his efforts, the trial began on April 15. |
