Trump’s landmark criminal trial opens in New York

AFP | New York         

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial opened yesterday in a historic first for a US ex-president and a seismic twist to an already explosive 2024 presidential election, where the scandal-plagued Republican is seeking to return to power.

“Good morning Mr Trump,” Judge Juan Merchan said to the defendant in the courtroom, where the Republican sat with hunched shoulders and a stern expression. Jury selection was due to start shortly, but given the notoriety of the case it could take as much as two weeks for defense lawyers and prosecutors to agree on the panel of 12 jurors.

Trump, wearing his trademark red tie, white shirt and blue suit, struck a defiant stance, telling a throng of journalists on arrival at the gritty Manhattan courthouse that his trial was an “outrage” and an “assault on America.”

He then strode into the courtroom, walking past nine rows of wooden benches and took his seat. The 77-year-old is accused of falsifying business records in a scheme to cover up an alleged extramarital sexual encounter with adult film actress Stormy Daniels to shield his 2016 election campaign from a last-minute upheaval.

The so-called hush money affair is one of four criminal cases hanging over Trump, including historic prosecutions against the Republican’s alleged attempts to subvert the 2020 election and prevent the winner, Joe Biden, from taking office.

If convicted in the hush money case, Trump would potentially face years in prison, but legal observers consider this unlikely. Even so, the prospect of Trump becoming a convicted felon throws an unprecedented wild card into an already unpredictable November 5 election, where he wants to defeat Biden and re-take the White House.

The hard-right populist is running on dark vows of “vengeance” and seeking to spin his criminal cases as evidence of persecution. Yesterday his campaign released a video portraying Trump with the trappings of the presidency and warning his supporters that “they want to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedoms.”

Attempting to keep up his trademark bravado, Trump said last week that he will take the stand in the trial -- a highly unusual and often risky move for defendants. For jury selection, a pool of ordinary citizens convened by Merchan must answer a questionnaire including checks on whether they have been members of far-right groups.