Camila Francisco
On Monday, Donald Trump will step into a New York courtroom, making history as the first former US president to face trial in a criminal case.
The charges against him involve allegations of falsifying business records to conceal a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels, an ex-adult film star, just prior to the 2016 election.
At 77, Trump faces a potential four-year prison sentence if found guilty, though fines could be imposed instead. He maintains his innocence.
The trial carries significant weight amid ongoing presidential campaign dynamics, with Trump potentially becoming a convicted felon before November’s elections.
Described as “unprecedented” by Harvard professor Alex Keyssar, the trial commencing with jury selection is slated to last six to eight weeks. Central to the case is a reimbursement made by Trump to his former attorney, Michael Cohen, who asserts he was instructed to pay Daniels for her silence regarding an alleged affair with Trump.
While hush-money payments aren’t inherently illegal, prosecutors argue that Trump’s recording of the reimbursement as legal expenses constitutes a crime.
Facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, Trump’s fate rests with a jury of his peers, including testimony from key figures like Cohen and Daniels.
Legal experts are divided on the case’s strength, given its novel approach to prosecuting felony charges.
Trump’s attempts to delay and relocate the trial, coupled with his vocal criticisms, led to a gag order restricting his public comments on related individuals.
The order expanded following Trump’s online attacks on the judge’s daughter.
This trial is just one of four Trump faces this year, potentially the only one preceding his 2024 election rematch with President Biden. Despite his legal challenges, Trump’s popularity remains intact among a significant portion of voters.
Regardless of the trial’s outcome, it’s unlikely to impact his eligibility to run for office, though a conviction would mark the first time a felon ran as a major-party nominee.
With heightened media attention, every development in court could sway public perception in the ongoing political saga, according to Georgetown University’s Professor Hans Noel.
