SPRINGFIELD, MA. (WGGB/WSHM, MA) – A day after Trump’s indictment in New York, the reaction is still strong. This is the first criminal case against a former President of the United States. Now, a legal expert sheds light on what’s next.
The former President Donald Trump will surrender to the prosecutors in the early part of next week. This is just the beginning a long legal battle. All this while the nation and the legal system struggle to navigate in uncharted territory.
“This is going to go on for quite a while, so I think we need to sit tight, pay attention but live our fullest lives through this chaos,” said Jennifer Taub.
A Manhattan grand jury indicted Donald Trump, former President, on Thursday for his involvement in a scheme to pay hush money.
Trump is expected on Tuesday to surrender. Jennifer Taub, a Western New England University law professor, explained to us what this could mean.
“That process is ordinary,” said Taub. “You know finger printing, which will probably be digital printing not ink prints, also he’ll have a booking photo taken, he’ll appear before a judge. What he’s entitled to do, what his lawyer will most likely do is challenge the indictment.”
While it could be several months before Trump faces a jury, Attorney Jeremy Powers explained to us the impact Trump’s status could have inside the courtroom.
“There is no way that you can suggest they are going to find a juror of his peers that are completely impartial that has not heard of this story,” said Powers.
Powers said that a sequestered jury was possible.
“I think it’s going to be impossible to get a jury that has not heard about this case,” said Powers. “And once they are assigned, once they are selected as jurors it’s going to be impossible to keep any information about the case from them.”
Taub said that we should expect that the trial will be open to all, which she stated was vital for our criminal justice system.
“Something like the arraignment of a public figure should be a public event,” said Taub.
Trump will likely be arraigned Tuesday. At that point, the indictment against Trump will be unveiled and the public will have more information about the charges against him.
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