Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, could have to miss his son Barron's high school graduation next month due to the date of his impending trial. Trump will go down in history as the first American president to face trial for a crime.
In a Manhattan courthouse, the jury selection process for President Trump's hush-money trial began on Monday.
As the court got ready for the first day of voir dire, New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan revealed that he had received requests from Trump's legal team requesting that the former president skip the trial on May 17th so that he could go to Florida and attend Barron Trump's high school graduation.
Regarding Trump's plea to transfer the trial to a new day and postpone it, Merchan said he would not decide immediately.
Merchan said, "It really depends on where we are in the trial and if we are on time."
Choosing the best jurors may take up to two weeks. Reports state that Donald Trump will be permitted to know the identities of the jurors selected for his impending trial. The general population won't, however. If Americans found out who was behind the final conclusion, jurors' lives may be at danger.
Following the court's postponement on Monday afternoon, Trump expressed his annoyance to the media.
Trump told reporters on Monday afternoon, "As you know, my son is graduating from high school and it looks like the judge will not let me go to the graduation of my son, who has worked very, very hard." "Looks like the judge is not going to let me get out of this scam. He was looking forward to that graduation for years, with his parents there."
Therefore, depending on how "on time" the trial goes, Trump could not be able to attend Barron's graduation. Additionally, the court denied Trump's request to see the arguments from the Supreme Court.
Charges against Trump include 34 felony charges pertaining to allegedly falsifying company records, as well as allegations that he lied on paperwork to hide payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.
The prosecution claims that Michael Cohen, the former president's longtime personal attorney, arranged $130,000 in payments to Daniels only days before the 2016 presidential election "in order to buy Daniels’ silence over a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump." Trump has angrily denied all of the charges.
Trump had asked to attend the event, but Merchan declined his second request—to be permitted to attend the Supreme Court's arguments on April 25—even though he did not specifically say no to that.
"Your client is a defendant in criminal court," Merchan informed Trump's attorneys. "His presence is essential here. Next week, we shall see him here.
Around 4:40 p.m., after the trial was over, Trump stepped outside to talk with media and explain the situation.
"As you know, we had some amazing things happen today. My son graduated from high school, and it appears that the judge will not allow me to attend his graduation. He is a great student who has worked extremely hard, and I am very proud of him for doing so well. He is been looking forward to his graduation with his parents there for years," said Trump.
Trump then attacked the court and prosecutors and refuted the charges made against him.
"This trial is a fraud," said Trump. Not a single legal professor or pundit that I have read in recent memory has said that this is a case that needs to go to trial. It is a fraud. It is a witch hunt for politics. It goes on, it goes on forever, and we are not going to have an impartial trial. It is indeed a tragic event. Furthermore, as you are aware, we will be appearing before the US Supreme Court on Thursday for a significant hearing on immunity. Additionally, we have been waiting for this for a very long time, and the judge—who is obviously conflicted—will not let us to go to it," Trump said.
Trump pled not guilty to each of the 34 criminal charges; in return for a fee, he could avoid going to prison. On the other hand, Trump may possibly get a four-year jail sentence if he is convicted.
In a Manhattan courthouse, the jury selection process for President Trump's hush-money trial began on Monday.
As the court got ready for the first day of voir dire, New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan revealed that he had received requests from Trump's legal team requesting that the former president skip the trial on May 17th so that he could go to Florida and attend Barron Trump's high school graduation.
Regarding Trump's plea to transfer the trial to a new day and postpone it, Merchan said he would not decide immediately.
Merchan said, "It really depends on where we are in the trial and if we are on time."
Choosing the best jurors may take up to two weeks. Reports state that Donald Trump will be permitted to know the identities of the jurors selected for his impending trial. The general population won't, however. If Americans found out who was behind the final conclusion, jurors' lives may be at danger.
Following the court's postponement on Monday afternoon, Trump expressed his annoyance to the media.
Trump told reporters on Monday afternoon, "As you know, my son is graduating from high school and it looks like the judge will not let me go to the graduation of my son, who has worked very, very hard." "Looks like the judge is not going to let me get out of this scam. He was looking forward to that graduation for years, with his parents there."
Therefore, depending on how "on time" the trial goes, Trump could not be able to attend Barron's graduation. Additionally, the court denied Trump's request to see the arguments from the Supreme Court.
Charges against Trump include 34 felony charges pertaining to allegedly falsifying company records, as well as allegations that he lied on paperwork to hide payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.
The prosecution claims that Michael Cohen, the former president's longtime personal attorney, arranged $130,000 in payments to Daniels only days before the 2016 presidential election "in order to buy Daniels’ silence over a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump." Trump has angrily denied all of the charges.
Trump had asked to attend the event, but Merchan declined his second request—to be permitted to attend the Supreme Court's arguments on April 25—even though he did not specifically say no to that.
"Your client is a defendant in criminal court," Merchan informed Trump's attorneys. "His presence is essential here. Next week, we shall see him here.
Around 4:40 p.m., after the trial was over, Trump stepped outside to talk with media and explain the situation.
"As you know, we had some amazing things happen today. My son graduated from high school, and it appears that the judge will not allow me to attend his graduation. He is a great student who has worked extremely hard, and I am very proud of him for doing so well. He is been looking forward to his graduation with his parents there for years," said Trump.
Trump then attacked the court and prosecutors and refuted the charges made against him.
"This trial is a fraud," said Trump. Not a single legal professor or pundit that I have read in recent memory has said that this is a case that needs to go to trial. It is a fraud. It is a witch hunt for politics. It goes on, it goes on forever, and we are not going to have an impartial trial. It is indeed a tragic event. Furthermore, as you are aware, we will be appearing before the US Supreme Court on Thursday for a significant hearing on immunity. Additionally, we have been waiting for this for a very long time, and the judge—who is obviously conflicted—will not let us to go to it," Trump said.
Trump pled not guilty to each of the 34 criminal charges; in return for a fee, he could avoid going to prison. On the other hand, Trump may possibly get a four-year jail sentence if he is convicted.
