A New York grand jury has been hearing evidence in closed sessions for weeks on whether to bring criminal charges against Donald Trump, and there are signs it could happen this week.
A jury has been convened to buy her silence as part of an investigation by the Manhattan prosecutor’s office into alleged silence payments to a porn star on behalf of a former president.
This week, the almost five-year-old investigation made headlines as potential accusations against Trump seem very real.
It began over the weekend when the 76-year-old said he would be arrested on Tuesday in connection with the investigation, citing “illegal leaks” that suggest law enforcement and security agencies were preparing charges that week.
An indictment is a formal notice of a person suspected of a crime detailing the charges against them.
Massive protests by his supporters followed in New York and Florida, where Trump was staying at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Some Republican officials, including former Vice President Mike Pence, also spoke out against the “political allegations.”
What are the claims against Trump?
It’s unclear what the charges are against Trump, but the Manhattan investigation is looking into whether his company falsified business documents relating to the $130,000 (£106,000) payment to silence Stormy Daniels.
The payment came in the 2016 election after an alleged affair between a porn star and a former president.
Mr. Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen said he paid Ms. Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, through a shell company before her employer reimbursed her, and the Trump organization recorded the fee as legal costs.
While there has been no public announcement as to when or if charges against Trump could be filed, the New York City Police Department and the Secret Service have reportedly met to discuss security plans should he be charged and for his first lawsuit. known as subpoena. , was supposed to be flown to Manhattan as part of the case.
Mr Trump in handcuffs?
Defendants are usually forced to walk in handcuffs down the corridor of the courtroom, where they can be photographed or filmed by the media. This is informally known as the “outlaw’s walk”.
The treatment of Mr. Trump if he becomes a criminal suspect has become a central issue in negotiations between the Manhattan prosecutor’s office and law enforcement agencies, including the US Secret Service, tasked with protecting former presidents.
A source familiar with the talks told Yahoo News that the usual rules may not apply to Trump. “This is not normal,” they said. “It’s someone who has a protective detail.”
Anna Kominsky, a New York Law School professor and former criminal defense attorney, said she believes Trump’s lawyers will make a deal with prosecutors to avoid a criminal spree.
“There’s a good chance he’ll turn himself in, which means you won’t see him knocking on Mar-a-Lago’s door at 5 a.m. while the cops flood his house, arrest him, and lead him out in handcuffs,” he told them. Associate. Press.
“He would voluntarily appear at the prosecutor’s office and then be processed, fingerprinted and photographed.”
If Trump is indicted, he may not be charged until next week, a law enforcement source told Fox News, as another witness will appear before a grand jury this week.
What does a grand jury do?
Before bringing charges of felonies (felonies), the prosecutor presents evidence to an impartial group of citizens called a grand jury.
Unlike a jury trial, which decides whether a person is guilty or not guilty, a grand jury only considers whether there is enough evidence to charge someone. Grand jury trials are also held in private and the judge is not present.
A grand jury may decide that there is not enough evidence to charge someone with a crime, or may direct prosecutors to bring a lesser charge.
A Manhattan grand jury is reported to vote on whether to indict Trump on Wednesday, NewsNation reported, citing unnamed sources.
Who has provided evidence?
The grand jury heard evidence from witnesses subpoenaed by prosecutors, including Mr Cohen, who pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance laws and other charges related to the 2018 case.
One of the last witnesses to testify before the grand jury was Robert Costello, who was once Mr Cohen’s legal adviser before the couple fell out.
Mr. Costello was allegedly subpoenaed by Mr. Trump’s legal team on Monday to testify to rebut Mr. Cohen’s testimony and rebut his incriminating claims about the former president.
After his grand jury appearance, Mr. Costello said: “If you want to hold Donald Trump accountable and you have solid evidence, so be it. But Michael Cohen is far from hard evidence.”
What’s the matter?
Manhattan Attorney General Alvin Bragg and his team are investigating Trump’s involvement in the $130,000 payment to Ms. Daniels.
The investigation appears to be looking into whether Mr. Trump or anyone else in New York State committed crimes in arranging the payout, or how the Trump organization compensated Mr. Cohen for his work covering up Ms. Daniel’s allegations.
Mr. Trump denies any wrongdoing and dismissed the Manhattan Inquiry as politically motivated.
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.