Once regarded with the least stakes among all his legal battles, the hush money case against Donald Trump could soon be historic as it is the first criminal trial involving a former president before a jury.
In April 2023, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump with 34 felony counts relating to reimbursements to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and to records held by the Trump Organization, marking the first indictment against a former president. Allegations include orchestrating a payment scheme to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who said she had an affair with the former president, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The New York trial, slated for March 25, has taken precedence following a federal judge’s postponement of a Washington trial related to charges that the former president had attempted to overturn the 2020 election, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Daniels recently confirmed she will testify in the upcoming trial against Trump related to the hush money payment.
Also See: Trump Abandons Effort To Transition Hush Money Case To Federal Court
“Obviously, things have been next-level crazy since I am set to testify in, at this point in time, March,” Daniels said.
Trump, denying the affair, accused Bragg of politically motivated prosecution.
A previous prosecutor, appointed by Bragg’s predecessor, chose not to pursue charges, citing a legal theory that could lead to dismissal. Critics argue Trump might not serve prison time even if convicted of the felony charges.
Justice Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the Manhattan criminal case, is expected to hold a Feb. 15 hearing to decide on motions and confirm a trial date. Despite initially settling on March 25, Merchan said he now intends to reassess the date at the hearing due to Trump’s “rapidly evolving trial schedule,” The Wall Street Journal added.
Meanwhile, Daniels is the subject of a new documentary.
Emmy-nominated Sarah Gibson is the director and producer of “Stormy,” a new documentary that will be available to watch on March 18. “Stormy” will be available on Peacock, the streaming platform owned by Comcast Corporation. The documentary aims to follow Daniels “as she shares her story and account of events that have become part of American history,” Variety reported.
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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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