Donald Trump will report to the Manhattan District Attorney Office on Tuesday for his arraignment.
Former President Donald J. Trump has been indicted by a Grand Jury in New York following the investigation of the Jury.
The Grand Jury investigation of Trump took place over a period of several years, dating back to his time in the White House. The Jury has finally concluded its investigation and has indicted Trump, calling for his surrender or arrest.
The person in charge of this indictment is Manhattan District Attorney Alvan Bragg who was elected in November of 2021, following the resignation of previous District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. Bragg, who has not made any statements in regards to the trial, preferring to remain silent.
An indictment is a formal charge of one or more felonies delivered by a Grand Jury, and in the state of New York, it is composed of 23 members of the general population. Right now, the exact charges are unknown because an indictment remains sealed up until the arraignment when the charges, and evidence against him, are formally read to the defendant.
What we do know is that the charges against him are numerous and related to the hush money payment scheme and cover-up involving adult film star Stormy Daniels back in 2016.
Trump’s attorney has said that Trump will not be arrested, unlike his previous social media statements made on March 18, and will instead be surrendering himself to the court for processing to begin on Tuesday, April 4.
The processing is identical regardless of whether or not he has been arrested or willingly turned himself in, and will take place behind closed doors while the police or other law enforcement take his mugshots and fingerprints.
This is a very unique situation, as it is the first time in the history of the United States that a U.S. president, current or former, has faced criminal charges against him.
At the arraignment, the charges will be made known to him and the public. The judge will also determine if Trump needs to pay bail or adhere to certain restrictions prior to his trial. This is when Trump will enter a plea. Trump is expected to plead not guilty.
While Trump is awaiting trial, he is still eligible to run for president. He is expected to attempt to delay the legal process as much as possible, until beyond the presidential election. He is also expected to have a pre-trial push to move the trial out of Manhattan. In the previous election, Trump won only 22.6% percent of the New York City votes and is incredibly unpopular in the area.
It will be a very long time before we know the outcome of this trial, and even if convicted, it doesn’t necessarily mean Trump will go to jail. In the state of New York, a low-level felony of falsifying business records can hold a sentence of up to four years in prison, but sentences can be downgraded. It is very unusual for a person with no criminal record to be sentenced to jail for an extended period of time for a non-violent crime such as this one.
