Trump is heading to court docket. Right here’s what to anticipate

By COLLEEN LONG and MICHAEL BALSAMO Related Press

Former President Donald Trump is ready to seem in a Manhattan courtroom Tuesday on expenses associated to falsifying enterprise information in a hush cash investigation, the primary president ever to be charged with a criminal offense.

The Republican former president, who has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly assailed the investigation, has referred to as the indictment “political persecution” and predicted it might injury Democrats in 2024. Trump’s legal professionals have mentioned the previous president “didn’t commit any crime” and they’re going to “vigorously battle this political prosecution in court docket.”

What to anticipate:

WHAT’S THE PLAN?

Trump flew into New York from his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Seaside, Florida, on Monday and is predicted to depart Trump Tower on Tuesday and make the practically 4-mile (6-kilometer) drive to the Manhattan prison courthouse, the place he’s scheduled to face a decide for his arraignment at 2:15 p.m. EDT.

WILL THERE BE A ‘PERP WALK’?

No. So-called perp walks occur when a prison suspect is taken in handcuffs out of a police precinct after which pushed to the courthouse. However Trump gained’t be going to a police precinct. He’s organized a give up with the district lawyer’s workplace and can head straight to the court docket, skipping a police station solely. It’s impossible anybody will get a glimpse of him going into or out of court docket, except he desires to be seen. That’s as a result of there are underground entrances, aspect doorways and tunnels in and across the Manhattan courthouse.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER HE SURRENDERS?

Trump will get booked. Right here’s what meaning: Earlier than computer systems, data on each prison suspect could be written down in an enormous e-book stored by court docket officers. Now, it’s all computerized, however the course of is essentially the identical. Court docket officers will take down Trump’s full identify, age, birthdate, top and weight. They’ll verify to see if the previous president has any excellent warrants. They’ll take his fingerprints — however they gained’t roll his fingertips in ink; today that’s accomplished by laptop, too. Officers will roll every fingertip on a computerized system that information the prints. They could take his photograph, often known as a mug shot. In New York, this course of often takes about two hours, however might be so long as 4. However nobody else is getting processed when Trump arrives, so it’ll go a lot quicker. Then he goes earlier than a decide.

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE HEARING?

An arraignment is a listening to wherein the indictment can be formally unsealed and the fees can be learn aloud, although Trump might request to waive the general public studying. He can be requested how he pleads to the fees and is predicted to reply “not responsible.” And Trump’s attorneys Joe Tacopina, Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche, will work with the decide and the district lawyer’s workplace to set a date for the subsequent time he’d be again in court docket. The decide has dominated that information photographers could be allowed to take photographs of the previous president at first of his arraignment.

WILL HE BE ARRESTED?

Technically, sure. When he’s fingerprinted and processed, he’s thought of underneath arrest and in custody. Nevertheless it gained’t appear like what it does within the motion pictures or on TV’s “Regulation & Order.” He gained’t be handcuffed and he gained’t sit in a jail cell, partially as a result of elements of the courthouse can be cleared out for his arraignment — and since Trump is a former president with Secret Service safety. Not all defendants are handcuffed earlier than they seem earlier than a decide for an arraignment, although some are.

IF THERE IS A MUG SHOT, WILL IT BE MADE PUBLIC?

It relies upon. In New York Metropolis, mug photographs aren’t usually made public. They’re taken by the legislation enforcement company that makes the arrest. There are conditions the place a decide might make the photograph public in response to a public information battle. It might additionally get leaked, too.

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING AT THE COURTHOUSE ON TUESDAY?

Court docket officers try to restrict what enterprise is occurring on the courthouse at 100 Centre St. in Decrease Manhattan on Tuesday. Police are anticipated to shut some streets across the plaza and safety can be tight. The New York Police Division is in control of safety within the metropolis, however state court docket officers are in control of safety contained in the court docket.

WILL TRUMP WALK OUT OF THERE?

In all probability, sure. New York’s bail legal guidelines have been overhauled over the previous few years, that means Trump could be launched with out bail as a result of the anticipated expenses towards him don’t require that bail be set. Nevertheless it’s potential that Decide Juan Merchan might determine that Trump is a flight threat and order him held in custody, with or with out bail. Trump’s legal professionals would argue that the previous president’s ties to the U.S. are sturdy, and since he’s a presidential candidate, he has no purpose to flee and needs to be allowed to depart.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The decide and authorized groups will set dates for the subsequent listening to and deadlines for discovery, wherein the district lawyer’s workplace should flip over all its data to Trump’s legal professionals, and motions, which embrace any requests to shift the venue or dismiss the case outright. That course of often takes months. Tacopina has mentioned he must learn the indictment first and analysis earlier than he decides what to do on a change of venue or any motions to dismiss, although it might be quite common to file one.