Donald Trump's hush-money trial, slated to commence on April 15th, will mark the first criminal trial of a former US president. The trial revolves around payments Trump made to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, and Trump faces a total of 34 charges, including fraud.

 

Despite efforts by Trump's legal team to delay or dismiss the case, Justice Juan Merchan ruled that there was no justification for further delay, ordering the trial to proceed as scheduled. Trump, aged 77, has pleaded not guilty to all charges, contending that the allegations do not constitute criminal behavior.

 

Trump, accompanied by his attorneys in the courtroom, expressed outrage at the trial, labeling it as "election interference" and vowing to appeal the decision. He denounced the trial as an act of "voter intimidation" and interference in the electoral process, asserting that it should not be allowed to proceed.

 

Originally scheduled to commence with jury selection on Monday, the trial was delayed following the release of thousands of documents last week from the 2018 federal investigation into the payments to Stormy Daniels. Justice Merchan presided over a hearing on Monday to address concerns about the release of these documents and allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.

 

Trump's legal team argued that the Manhattan district attorney's office had engaged in misconduct by failing to promptly obtain and disclose the documents. They accused prosecutors of attempting to "suppress" evidence. However, prosecutors maintained that they were prepared to proceed to trial in mid-April and disputed the necessity for further delays.

 

 

During the hearing, Justice Merchan questioned Trump's lawyer about the specifics of the documents and the need for additional time to review them. Trump's attorney cited the volume of documents and alleged relevance to the case, including records from the Robert Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

 

Despite Trump's legal team's arguments, Justice Merchan expressed skepticism and impatience, questioning the necessity for further delay and casting doubt on the accusations of prosecutorial misconduct.

 

In summary, while Trump's hush-money trial is set to proceed on April 15th, the legal proceedings have been marked by disputes over document disclosure and allegations of misconduct, underscoring the contentious nature of the case.

 

26.03.24

Source

 

Justice is coming.

14 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Justice is coming.

convictions and probation are coming.

4 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

convictions and probation are coming.

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36 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

convictions and probation are coming.

Maybe convictions and appeal first.

2 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Maybe convictions and appeal first.

Okay, convictions, probation and appeal.

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Justice is coming.

God I hope so,so much energy wasted on this fraud,there are very serious pressing issues that need addressing we need to deal with that not this clown enough lock him up!!!

So this trial will be ongoing throughout the election cycle, most likely with wall-to-wall coverage in the national media.  Let's see what this trial is all about...Trump paying off a porn star so the news of his cheating--which occurred while his wife had just given birth--won't get out.  Yeah, this should go over well with suburban women.    

1 hour ago, Berkshire said:

So this trial will be ongoing throughout the election cycle, most likely with wall-to-wall coverage in the national media.  Let's see what this trial is all about...Trump paying off a porn star so the news of his cheating--which occurred while his wife had just given birth--won't get out.  Yeah, this should go over well with suburban women.    

I doubt that the trial will change anyone's mind.

 

Trump fans are unable to change their minds, those who are not fans aren't going to vote for him anyway.

5 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Justice is coming.

Fitzmas!

 

A reference to similar predictions of imminent justice 20 years ago.

Edited March 26, 20242 yr by Danderman123

34 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

I doubt that the trial will change anyone's mind.

 

Trump fans are unable to change their minds, those who are not fans aren't going to vote for him anyway.

Who do you think will decide this election?  Independents and moderates of course.  As amazing as it may sound, there are still some people who are undecided.

Just now, Berkshire said:

Who do you think will decide this election?  Independents and moderates of course.  As amazing as it may sound, there are still some people who are undecided.

Oh, I think Trump will lose, because he is an incompetent lunatic, and most people understand that.

Just now, Danderman123 said:

Oh, I think Trump will lose, because he is an incompetent lunatic, and most people understand that.

Agree.  Regardless of what these polls say, I cannot/will not believe that a majority of Americans don't know that Trump is a corrupt, incompetent, immoral, lying conman.  It's just not possible.

April 15th is also US Tax Day, the deadline for all to be accountable for paying taxes and filing tax returns.

It’s a notable day of reckoning for Trump, given the criminal charges of falsifying business records related to tax fraud.

In addition, it is also National Laundry Day so if the industry decides to take a holiday, I hope the defendant has a good supply of nappies for a stressful day in court, given his alleged incontinence issues.

Tax Day - Wikipedia

National Laundry Day - April 15 - National Day Calendar

Donald Trump Family Complain About Courtroom Smell: 'It's Disgusting' (newsweek.com)

 

Edited March 26, 20242 yr by LosLobo

Trump has a good chance of avoiding conviction in this trial.

 

1) Stormy Daniels will be an embarassing witness, but cannot testify about any of the criminal charges.

 

2) Michael Cohen could nail Trump, but he's a terrible witness, and will testify that Trump never directly told him what to do. Trump said things like "take care of it", without being precise.

 

3) Trump's defense will be that he just did what his lawyers told him to do.

 

11 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

3) Trump's defense will be that he just did what his lawyers told him to do.

 

Per Judge Merchan's 18 MAR 2024 ruling:

 

The People have inquired countless times from Defendant whether he intended to rely on advice of counsel. Likewise, this Court has given defendant numerous opportunities to declare his intent. Ultimately, he was directed to give notice by March 11, 2024. He has now made clear that he will not invoke the defense of advice of counsel.
 

People's VI is GRANTED.

 

https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Just-Security-NY-2016-Election-Interference-Case-Clearinghouse-Order-on-State-of-New-York-motions-in-limine-March-18-2024.pdf

1 hour ago, jerrymahoney said:

Per Judge Merchan's 18 MAR 2024 ruling:

 

The People have inquired countless times from Defendant whether he intended to rely on advice of counsel. Likewise, this Court has given defendant numerous opportunities to declare his intent. Ultimately, he was directed to give notice by March 11, 2024. He has now made clear that he will not invoke the defense of advice of counsel.
 

People's VI is GRANTED.

 

https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Just-Security-NY-2016-Election-Interference-Case-Clearinghouse-Order-on-State-of-New-York-motions-in-limine-March-18-2024.pdf

Not formally, since there are specific requirements to do so.

 

But he will informally. The jury will hear that Cohen orchestrated everything, and Trump simply wrote checks.

20 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

Not formally,

So if informally the Prosecution may object.

 

From the same ruling as above:

 

Turning to the amorphous defense of "presence of counsel", defendant has in the past hinted, implied, and now declared that he will rely on said defense. However, Defendant has never asked this Court whether he would be permitted to do so. This Court now rules that Defendant may not offer, or
even suggest, the defense of "presence of counsel".

Edited March 28, 20242 yr by jerrymahoney

6 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

So if informally the Prosecution may object.

The defense will blame Cohen outside of his capacity as an attorney.

17 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

The defense will blame Cohen outside of his capacity as an attorney.

In the newly released filing dated March 11, Trump's lawyers said they would ask Cohen, expected to be a key prosecution witness, about Trump's awareness of his lawyers' involvement in the actions at issue in the case.

Formally invoking an advice-of-counsel defense would have required Trump to prove that he fully disclosed all relevant facts to his lawyers, and relied on their advice in good faith. It also would have required him to turn over communications with those lawyers, which are normally shielded by privilege.

 

https://www.reuters.com/legal/trumps-defense-hush-money-trial-stop-short-blaming-his-lawyers-2024-03-12/

 

This is the 'presence of counsel" motion disallowed by Judge Merchan's 18 MAR ruling.

 

BTW I agree with your statement above "Trump has a good chance of avoiding conviction in this trial" but not for the reasons you gave.

Edited March 28, 20242 yr by jerrymahoney

Trump's legal strategy seems to involve losing cases.

 

He insults the judge, gets huge verdicts against him....but.... plays a different game during the appeal. Trump seems to play to win during the appeal, whereas the initial trial is about Trump trying to score poltical points with his base.

10 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

Trump's legal strategy seems to involve losing cases.

 

He insults the judge, gets huge verdicts against him....but.... plays a different game during the appeal. Trump seems to play to win during the appeal, whereas the initial trial is about Trump trying to score poltical points with his base.

That is maybe because, in an appeal,  everything is done in writing except when, in some cases, the Court has a 30 minute oral hearing 15 minutes each side.