Donald Trump has expressed fears that he could be arrested within a few days due to the ongoing proceedings in New York.
A grand jury in the city is expected to decide within days on whether to charge Trump with alleged “silent” payments to cover up an intimate encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels.
Security around the Manhattan courthouse has been tightened after Trump urged his supporters to “protest” the lawsuit and “take back our nation.”
What is a grand jury and how does it work?
Under New York State law, a grand jury of prosecutors is formed to investigate a possible crime to determine whether a crime has been committed and whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute.
As with criminal juries, jurors are selected at random from among the individuals on the ballot, but while criminal juries typically have 12 members, a grand jury can have up to 23 members.
Grand juries can review evidence, conduct investigations, and call witnesses to testify, and prosecutors hope to convince grand juries that there is sufficient evidence of a crime.
But everything that happens in the grand jury room is classified – there is no judge, no media.
The jury’s ultimate job is to vote on whether there is enough evidence to hold someone accountable. It usually takes at least 12 votes to present an indictment – a formal charge of a crime and the beginning of a criminal case.
This is followed by an indictment, during which the accused is brought to court to familiarize himself with the charges against him. At this point, they may have the opportunity to plead guilty or not guilty. If there is no bill, the full process will take place later.
What happened in the Trump case?
In January, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg convened a grand jury to hear evidence related to the former president’s role in alleged silence payments to adult film actor Stormy Daniels.
Mr Bragg reportedly presented evidence of a $130,000 (£106,000) payment to Ms Daniels made by Mr Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen during the 2016 presidential campaign in exchange for her silence about the alleged romantic encounter.
Prosecutors allege a payment from Trump’s firm to Cohen was incorrectly recorded for legal services.
The grand jury heard testimony from Mr. Cohen, who provided evidence to prosecutors following his 2018 conviction for tax evasion and campaign finance violations related to the alleged payouts.
The testimony was also reportedly heard by David Pecker, a former supermarket tabloid editor. National InvestigatorHe reportedly helped negotiate with Miss Daniels.
Trump, who denies wrongdoing, is said to have turned down an invitation to testify before a grand jury.
But at the request of his lawyers, a grand jury was scheduled to hear on Monday Robert Costello, Cohen’s former lawyer, who reportedly raised questions about Cohen’s credibility.
Mr. Costello’s appearance comes amid speculation that a grand jury could wrap up the trial and vote on an indictment within a few days.
Reports surfaced over the weekend that several security agencies, including the Secret Service tasked with guarding former presidents, were engaged in high-level talks over the logistics of a potential arrest of Trump if he is charged.
On his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump reacted angrily to the reports and said he could be arrested on Tuesday, details not covered in public reports. New York Timesreports, however, that there may be a delay of a few days due to the complexities of negotiating the handover to the authorities.
As per standard procedure, Trump reads his rights before a photograph and fingerprints, although questions remain as to whether the Secret Service will handcuff him for security reasons. After being charged, he will be released pending trial.
If Trump is indicted, he will become the first former US president to be prosecuted, paving the way for one of the most high-profile trials in US history at a later date.
Since then, significant fortifications have been built around the Manhattan Courthouse for the public. Mr Bragg cited “public comments about the ongoing investigation” of the move, adding that law enforcement will ensure that the courthouse remains a “safe working environment.”
What was the reaction?
Mr. Trump, who plans to run for president again in 2024, tried to dismiss the investigation as “corrupt and highly political” in an attempt to undermine the reputation of the prosecutor in the case, Mr. Bragg, as a Democrat in this “witch.” hunt” against him.
District Attorneys, who serve as chief prosecutors for the territory, are elected officials in almost every state in the United States. They have a certain amount of leeway as to how they want to handle a case or not handle certain cases at all.
Other senior Republicans who have joined Trump, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have criticized the decision to file possible charges. Pence said Sunday: “The fact that the Manhattan attorney’s office is making it their top priority to indict President Trump just tells you everything you need to know about the radical left in this country, in my opinion.”
Still, legal experts defend the integrity of the grand jury, and many say Trump is likely to be indicted.
Despite the public outcry, Trump’s lawyers have quietly acknowledged that he will follow “normal procedures” in surrendering to face criminal prosecution if he is charged.
Mr. Trump has several more investigations into his conduct, with a grand jury also in Georgia to investigate a call in which Mr. Trump told officials to “find” the votes needed for him to lose the 2020 election to cancel.
The Special Counsel is also investigating secret documents found at his home in Mar-a-Lago.
Source: I News
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.