Donald Trump’s motorcade leaves Trump Tower in Midtown and is expected to arrive at Manhattan Supreme Court around 9:30 a.m. to begin jury selection in his historic hush money trial — the former president’s first criminal trial.
The case is the culmination of a multi-year investigation into Trump and his An alleged attempt to influence 2016 presidential election results by paying hush money to silence stories of his illicit sex.
The trial, which will take place in the fifth-floor courtroom at 100 Center St., is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. District Attorney Alvin Bragg will focus on payments that former Trump fixer Michael Cohen arranged for porn star Stormy Daniels. Also Playboy model Karen McDougall and Trump Tower doorman.
Bragg accuses the former president of hiding it Cohen’s compensation A $130,000 hush-hush payment to Daniels before the 2016 election A sexual encounter He says they had it 10 years ago.
Trump pleaded not guilty 34 crimes Related to Cohen’s estimated pay – a total of $420,000. The count represents 11 checks, 11 invoices and 12 book entries.
Prosecutors say the payments were made to cover up separate violations of election law, which make the kickbacks a Class E felony.
A colorful crew from Trump’s past is expected on the witness stand, including Daniels and Cohen, who turned on Trump; McDougal, Playboy model She allegedly paid to stay mum on her nine-month affair with Trump; Dino Sajudin, A Doorman at Trump Tower who tried to sell the story that Trump fathered a child out of wedlock; David PackerPublisher of supermarket tabloid allegedly worked with Trump to silence unfavorable storiesAnd several other Trumpworld characters.
The road to the trial, which is expected to last six to eight weeks, has been winding.
the week before Trump’s lawyers took a kitchen approach to further delay the process, the shooting Three attempts In Judges of the New York Court of Appeals as many days. The judges destroyed all three.
Jury selection is expected to take place during at least the first week of the trial. There will be hundreds of New Yorkers Screened for potential bias before the parties decide on 12 jurors and six alternates.
Trump faces it too Three more criminal cases In Georgia, Washington, Florida and Florida, however, none of the trials are expected to take place until Election Day in November.
The lawsuit has hit the campaign trail, disrupting the GOP presumptive nominee’s schedule as he races against Joe Biden.
