The first criminal trial against former US President Donald Trump has begun. Until recently, Trump’s lawyers had tried to delay the proceedings with various applications. Within the first few minutes, Judge Juan Merchan rejected a second request from the Republican to withdraw from the proceedings because of bias. Last week, Trump’s lawyers filed three more applications. However, they were all rejected.
“We have a real problem with this judge,” Trump said after the first day of the trial. The Republican presidential candidate also once again questioned the fairness of the process and spoke of a “political witch hunt” that was keeping him from his campaign.
The responsible court in new York finally opened the trial against Trump in connection with hush money payments to a porn actress. The public prosecutor’s office accuses Trump of falsifying business documents – the ex-president pleads not guilty. The agenda for the first day of the trial included jury selection.
About 96 of several hundred potential jurors were brought into the courtroom. When Trump was introduced as a defendant, he turned briefly from the dock to the potential jury members. About half of the men and women were immediately released after they said they felt unable to reach a fair verdict in the trial. Afterwards, more detailed questioning of the other candidates began. It could take several days until the jury is completely filled.
In 2016, shortly before his election as president, Trump paid $130,000 in hush money to porn actress Stephanie Gregory Clifford, who became known as Stormy Daniels. She claimed to have had sex with him. Trump denies an affair, but does not deny that money was flowed. Non-disclosure agreements between two parties are not inherently illegal. However, Trump is accused of illegally recording the payments, trying to conceal them illegally and thereby trying to cover up other violations of the law.
The prosecution requests a fine
On this first day of the trial, the prosecution also requested a fine of $3,000 (a good 2,800 euros) against Trump. The public prosecutor’s office said he violated a court silence order when he made three posts last week via his Internet platform Truth Social in which he lambasted two important witnesses.
In it, he described his former lawyer Michael Cohen and Clifford as “two creeps who have cost our country dearly with their lies and misrepresentations.” He should pay $1,000 for each post. Trump is prohibited from making derogatory comments about those involved outside of the trial.
A historical process
The process is already considered historic. Never before has a former US president been charged in a criminal case. If Trump is convicted, he could face several years in prison. She could also be given probation.
The lawyers of the Republican, who wants to be re-elected US President in November, had until recently tried to avert, postpone or delay the proceedings. Trump spoke out shortly before the trial opened and said: “This is an attack on America, nothing like it has ever happened before.”
Three further criminal trials are currently being prepared against Trump, including for attempted election fraud and taking secret government documents. There are also numerous civil lawsuits. The ex-president and his legal team are trying to block the proceedings by all means, and have already been partially successful in doing so.
The first criminal trial against former US President Donald Trump has begun. Until recently, Trump’s lawyers had tried to delay the proceedings with various applications. Within the first few minutes, Judge Juan Merchan rejected a second request from the Republican to withdraw from the proceedings because of bias. Last week, Trump’s lawyers filed three more applications. However, they were all rejected.
“We have a real problem with this judge,” Trump said after the first day of the trial. The Republican presidential candidate also once again questioned the fairness of the process and spoke of a “political witch hunt” that was keeping him from his campaign.