Donald Trump is set to make history as the first former US president to stand trial in a criminal case on Monday. Trump to appears in a New York courthouse in falsifying business records to cover up a hush-money payment made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, just before the 2016 election.
“He faces a maximum of four years in jail if convicted but could avoid jail time and be fined instead,” said one legal expert.
Trump, 77, has denied all the charges. The trial, expected to last six to eight weeks, will begin with jury selection and will focus on a payment Trump made to his former fixer, Michael Cohen, to keep Daniels silent about an alleged affair.
According to prosecutors, Trump’s handling of this payment was an attempt to sway the 2016 election, constituting a crime. Trump is accused of improperly recording the reimbursement to Cohen as legal expenses, amounting to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
The trial will feature a colorful cast of characters including Cohen, Daniels, and other key figures. Trump has unsuccessfully tried to delay the trial and move it out of Manhattan, arguing political bias in the jurisdiction.
In response to Trump’s fiery remarks, the judge imposed a gag order preventing him from publicly discussing the case or individuals involved.
This trial is just one of four legal cases Trump faces this year, but it could be the only one to conclude before the 2024 election. Even if convicted, experts believe Trump is unlikely to serve prison time as a first-time offender.
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