Former President Donald Trump is attending a high-stakes court hearing in Manhattan, New York. This hearing comes less than three weeks before the scheduled start of his criminal trial, making it a historic moment in U.S. history.
Originally, the trial was set to begin today. It centers around allegations of falsified business records tied to reimbursements for a “hush money” payment to an adult film star. However, the trial was delayed when new material relevant to the case was turned over to both sides by the Justice Department.
As Trump entered the courtroom this morning, he maintained a serious expression. He has consistently referred to the prosecution as a “witch hunt” and a “hoax.” Trump’s defense team has requested either a longer trial delay of up to three months or an outright dismissal. They accuse the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, led by Alvin Bragg, of conducting an inadequate effort to obtain the necessary documents.
Prosecutors, on the other hand, claim that they had requested these documents last year. Initially, the Justice Department declined, only to reverse course in response to a defense subpoena. The Justice Department itself has refrained from commenting on the matter.
The new documents that were turned over in March include over 100,000 pages of bank records and related emails. They pertain to a Justice Department investigation into Michael Cohen, Trump’s former “fixer” and lawyer. Cohen pleaded guilty to tax evasion in 2018 and is now the key witness against Trump in the New York case.
During today’s hearing, Judge Juan Merchan stated that the lawyers would discuss significant factual questions related to the prosecutors’ efforts to obtain the relevant documents. This process is known as pretrial discovery. Merchan has set the trial date for April 15, but has also stated that a new trial date may be set depending on the court’s ruling following the hearing.
This is a crucial moment in Trump’s legal journey, and we will continue to closely follow this case as it unfolds, on Fan Reviews News.
