Former President Donald Trump was indicted by a New York state court on Thursday, March 30, a historic precedent that is only the first step in a legal journey that could drag on for a long time but should not derail the billionaire’s presidential ambitions.
• The charges are still unknown
A New York court opened an investigation in 2018 into paying porn actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 prior to the 2016 presidential election to conceal an alleged extramarital affair with Donald Trump. The amount was not declared in the Republican nominee’s campaign accounts in violation of state election laws, but was recorded as “legal fees” In the accounts of his New York-based company.
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In January, Manhattan’s Democratic attorney general, Alvin Bragg, entrusted the case to a grand jury composed of citizens chosen by lot. Several witnesses were heard, but Donald Trump refused to speak in mid-March, calling, at the same time, his supporters to demonstrate against his next rule. “Arrest”.
The grand jury finally adopted an indictment Thursday, and the charges against her have not been made public.
• Face to face with justice in the coming days
Prosecutors contacted Donald Trump’s attorney Thursday night to schedule a court appearance in New York to be formally notified of the indictment. If he refuses, he can and will have to be arrested next “hand it over” From Florida, where he lives, to New York, each state has its own legal system.
Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Twitter that he wouldn’t be too cooperative, even though the constitution bars him from opposing his transfer.
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According to US media, Donald Trump must agree to appear in a New York court, most likely at the beginning of next week. The charges against him will be read, according to NBC News, which specifies that in light of the media coverage of the case, the presence of cameras may be requested by the American media, but the decision will be up to the judge.
Donald Trump He will be photographed, and his fingerprints will be recorded [il] He shall be brought before the judge, who shall ask him what he intends to plead: he shall surely say, “Not guilty.”According to Carl Tobias, a professor of law at the University of Richmond in Virginia, told AFP.
Three possible scenarios
It is likely that Donald Trump’s lawyers will engage in legal gang warfare to try to nullify the indictment, perhaps by arguing that the investigation was an indictment or a formal flaw. If they fail to do so, the normal course of justice provides three scenarios after the indictment.
At first, fees can be dropped. This is relatively frequent and may be linked in particular to the arrival of a new attorney general, but is unlikely in the case of Donald Trump, given his influence.
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In the second case, the accused can make an agreement with the prosecutors and agree to plead guilty to avoid trial and get a lighter sentence. It is unlikely that Donald Trump will repeat that he did nothing wrong.
Finally, justice can organize a trial, but first it must respect several procedures, with different preliminary hearings. Once again, it is likely that Donald Trump’s lawyers will use every means possible to delay this deadline. In this case, the case can continue “a long time ago”refers to NBC.
• The race for the White House is still possible for Trump
In theory, the charges of falsifying commercial documents provide for a penalty of up to 4 years in prison, according to US media. But this indictment should not, for the time being, hinder the presidential aspirations of Donald Trump, who has already declared himself a candidate for the 2024 election. Any office and was elected. The Constitution provides for only one exception to the exercise of an official function: participation in a “insurgency” or to “insurgency” against the United States.
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Donald Trump, who launched last November in the 2024 presidential race, is under federal justice investigation for his role in the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But no charges have been filed against him at this point.
