7 minutes agoDate set for trial against former President Trump
Periskopi(3 years ago)
(3 years ago)A court in the United States set March 25th 2024 as the date for judging former President Donald Trump. This period coincides with the peak election campaign for the presidential candidate within the Republican Party. New York's Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan announced this date during a session in which Trump attended [...]
New York Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan announced this date during a session where Trump participated through a video connection.
Last month, the former US president was declared innocent of 34 counts of forging business data, in connection with the payments his company had given to his former attorney, Michael Cohen.
The Trump was granted permission not to appear in court personally, with the aim of avoiding major security and logistics challenges that followed the indictment's proclamation against him last month.
Prosecutors say these payments were aimed at repaying and compensation the lawyer Cohen for conducting payments in exchange for silence during the 2016 campaign over charges of extramarital relations.
Trump denies having extramarital ties and says prosecution is politically motivated.
Judge Merchan's order prevents former Republican president and his lawyers from distributing evidence to third parties or posting them on social networks and requires that certain sensitive materials distributed by prosecutors be kept only by Mr. Trump's lawyers, not by him himself.
Merchan passed most of Tuesday's 15-minute session, reviewing an order he issued on May 8th, which sets the basic rules for bringing Trump to the start of the trial.
It should not be interpreted as an order to shut up and Trump is free to talk about the case and defend himself, Merchan said, but he cannot use evidence given by prosecutors to attack and urge witnesses or post sensitive documents on social networks. If he breaks the command, he risks being held in contempt.
Among the concerns raised by prosecutors was that Trump could use very personal “information, which was found in witness cell phones, as personal photos and messages with family and friends, as well as the secret evidence of the jury and other materials, to provoke the wrath of his supporters.
His lawyers demand that his criminal case be transferred to the federal court. Until it is decided whether such a thing will be accepted, the question of command can continue in the state court.
Trump is not required to appear in court again by 4 January 2024, just weeks before the first votes for the candidate within the party are expected. /rel/
