Donald Trump needs to go to court. The indictment by a grand jury sets in motion a criminal trial that in many ways will be exactly like any other. Some things will be very different in the case of the EX-US President.
An overview – based on what is already known:
The announcement of the allegations
When someone is charged in the United States, the charges are sometimes hidden until the accused first appears in court. That is also the case in the current case: the indictment that the grand jury has brought against Trump is not public at this time. A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Thursday:
The first hearing
Trump will likely be taken into custody for fingerprinting and robbed.
Initial hearings are usually public hearings, CNN reports. According to the American news portal, the former president is expected to appear in court on Tuesday for his charges.
Exactly what happens on the first hearing date can vary. Because Trump’s indictment most likely only includes nonviolent crimes, New York law doesn’t allow prosecutors to demand he be held on bail. Therefore, Trump will likely be briefed on his rights and terms of his release discussed (such as travel restrictions or house arrest), according to CNN.
Trump will therefore probably be able to leave the courtroom freely (for the time being) after the first session.
The process
At the first hearing, the judge reads the charges against Trump. The prosecutor’s office and the suspect’s lawyers also speak at this stage of the trial. Trump will be asked to plead “guilty” or “not guilty” to the charges.
If Trump were to plead “not guilty” – which is plausible to him – a judge would have to set a date for the trial to start. It is not yet clear when this will start. The probability of a conviction is difficult to predict. If it were distributed, he could face up to four years in prison, according to the New York Post.
What’s different about Trump
Trump will go through procedures that every other defendant must go through, according to CNN. But his status as a former president will no doubt pose additional security concerns. It is almost certain that Trump will be accompanied every step of the way by armed agents of the US Secret Service, responsible for protecting current and former US presidents.
The Secret Service must also coordinate with other law enforcement agencies. Security in the courthouse itself is believed to be provided by state court officials.
Talks between the Secret Service, the US Marshals Service and the New York Police Department have already begun, according to CNN. Police officers were even told in an internal memo on Thursday evening to be in uniform and ready for action on Friday.
The New York Times writes that it is currently questionable whether Trump will actually be shown handcuffed.
(yum)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
