On Monday morning, a Manhattan jury will hear opening statements in People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump, the first criminal prosecution of a former U.S. president.
This is the next stage of a criminal trial, and it will play out like any other criminal trial, albeit with a unique defendant.
The trial began last week, with Judge Juan M. Machan selecting 12 jurors and six alternates who were sworn to be fair and impartial to the former president, who tried to cover up $130,000 in hush money. The investigation began amid consideration of charges of falsifying records. porn star. Prosecutors say Trump authorized a reward to keep her quiet about his sexual encounters with porn star Stormy Daniels.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg has argued that the deal was part of a larger plan to suppress negative coverage of Trump in the run-up to the 2016 election. He was charged with 34 felonies for falsifying his business records.
Trump maintains his innocence and denies having sex with Daniels.
Opening statements are the first opportunity for jurors to hear the case clearly in front of them.
Statements are likely to take up the bulk of Monday's court session, after which both sides will begin calling witnesses. Prosecutors plan to question them about their recollections of important events and use their testimony to provide other evidence in the form of documents.
The defense then has an opportunity to cross-examine the witness in order to discredit the witness' testimony.
The first prosecution witness was David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid, who had close ties to Trump and helped shut down damaging stories during the 2016 campaign. There is a high possibility that it will. Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael D. Cohen and former press secretary Hope Hicks are also likely to testify. So will Mr. Daniels.
Prosecutors cannot force Trump to testify.
But Trump said he would be interested in taking a stand once prosecutors rest their case and the defense begins.
After both sides have rested, the lawyers make closing arguments that essentially summarize the best aspects of both sides.
Jurors will then decide whether Mr. Trump committed these crimes beyond a reasonable doubt, the highest burden of proof in the U.S. justice system.
The members hide behind closed doors and deliberate and discuss their respective charges. Their verdict will determine whether Trump is guilty or not guilty on each charge.
Judgments must be unanimous, and if a verdict is not reached after several days of deliberation, the judges may declare a mistrial. If there is a conviction on any one count, Judge Marchan will sentence Trump at a later date.
If convicted, Trump could face a suspended sentence or up to four years in prison.