Donald Trump’s first criminal trial is officially on the books—and it starts before the election.

GOP front-runner Donald Trump is officially headed to court next month—the first of his four upcoming criminal trials expected sometime this year.

On Thursday, Trump headed to New York for a court hearing on his hush-money case. Judge Juan Manuel Merchan ignored his requests for a delay and determined the trial would start on March 25, when jury selection will begin.

Trump is accused of using his former fixer Michael Cohen to sweep an affair with porn actress Stormy Daniels under the rug ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

As a result, he’s facing 34 felony charges in this case for allegedly falsifying business records with the intent to further an underlying crime. Trump has pleaded not guilty on all counts.

  • ryrybang@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Trump’s attorney said it was “unfathomable” that Trump would be ready to balance his legal obligations with his campaigning.

    I can’t believe this stuff is even allowed in open court. Campaigning isn’t even a job. It’s a 100% optional thing somebody chooses to do in running for elected office. It can be stopped at any moment for any reason, completely and willingly.

    A court date for multiple felonies is an obligation. It’s much higher priority. There’s no comparison.

    If it is a fair excuse, then I guess we should all be campaigning.

    Sorry boss, it’s unfathomable to work today because I need to campaign. Sorry your honor, jury duty is unfathomable because I’m working the crowds. Sorry IRS, can’t file my taxes this year because I’m busy raising money on social media.

    • HWK_290@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Also

      “We have been faced with compressed and expedited schedules in every one of those trials,” Todd Blanche, an attorney also representing Trump in his classified documents case, told the judge. “We—meaning myself, the firm and President Trump—have been put into an impossible position.”

      Will then maybe your client shouldn’t have committed so many crimes…

      • MagicShel@programming.dev
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        9 months ago

        Maybe the RNC needs to pony up more cash for legal costs. Spend everything keeping that motherfucker out of prison. Mortgage everything at the altar of Trump.

      • bleistift2@feddit.de
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        9 months ago

        Will then maybe your client shouldn’t have committed so many crimes…

        Even Trump is innocent until proven guilty.

        • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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          9 months ago

          He’s presumed innocent by the legal system. Those of us not involved in the cases against him have no obligation to pretend we don’t see his obvious guilt.

          And he has already been inducted, which means he’s obligated to stand trial regardless of his guilt or innocence.

          • bleistift2@feddit.de
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            9 months ago

            no obligation to pretend we don’t see his obvious guilt

            You don’t seem to get the point of presuming innocence. It is a guardrail against vigilantism. When people start making up their own minds about “obvious” guilt, it’s only a tiny step to dole out “righteous“ punishment, which, of course, it never is.

            Basic rights are for everyone, not just those on your own political team.

            By the way, you do have the obligation to not “see his obvious guilt”. For instance, you cannot call someone a rapist just because you feel like it. That would be slander.

            • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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              9 months ago

              Nah, fuck that. My opinions are not subject to legal restraints.

              And it’s not about preventing vigilantism at all. It’s about preventing people from being wrongfully convicted. The thing that prevents vigilantism is that vigilantism involves commiting crimes.

            • MagicShel@programming.dev
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              9 months ago

              Basic rights are for everyone, not just those on your own political team.

              No one has a right to my presumption of innocence. I’m not obligated to let my daughters hang out with OJ or anyone on the Pedo Island list. Fuck those people. Maybe they deserve to be in prison and maybe they don’t. And maybe the justice system will get it right, but even if they were found not guilty in court that doesn’t mean they are innocent or that I’m obligated to treat them that way.

              They have rights as far as the government impugning their freedom goes, and they have a right to me not depriving them off life or liberty, but I owe them nothing least of all my trust or loyalty.

            • agentsquirrel@sh.itjust.works
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              9 months ago

              you cannot call someone a rapist just because you feel like it

              What if someone is convicted for slandering someone they raped, but not actually convicted of rape?

            • medgremlin@midwest.social
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              9 months ago

              We watched him instigate a goddamn coup on live television. There were hundreds of millions of witnesses. Trump’s innocence is not the question here…the extent of corruption of the system is what’s really on trial.

            • Promethiel@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              By the way, you do have the obligation to not “see his obvious guilt”. For instance, you cannot call someone a rapist just because you feel like it. That would be slander.

              Before the beloved 2nd amendment, is the first. Courts are bound by the presumption of Innocence for the good reasons you were told already.

              But your argument falls flat right at free speech; This is still fucking America, and no one is bound to believing or saying whatever another thinks by force of the government.

              As always, the boundary is the consequences of your own actions (words) when taken by another.

              Also, that’s not how slander works you rapist of the time spent reading your drivel. Prove those damages to your reputation.

            • fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.de
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              9 months ago

              That’s just not true. The presumption of innocence merely frames the roles of court participants - the prosecution must produce sufficient evidence to prove the defendant is fully beyond reasonable doubt.

              Vigilantes are going to judge the accused regardless.

              Additionally, if a legal system I’d unable or unwilling to try a case then IMO the public can form their own conclusions. Perhaps one day Trump will face judgement, but it’s undeniable that he’s received special treatment during these proceedings.

            • jkrtn@lemmy.ml
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              9 months ago

              Slander isn’t a crime, it’s a civil issue. Nor is calling someone a rapist slander if they are an actual rapist. The people who witnessed Brock Turner don’t need to wait for a criminal trial to conclude to determine he is a rapist. The people who witnessed Donald’s endless string of pathological lies and fraud don’t need to wait for a trial to determine he is a fucking crook.

            • Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              That’s a hilariously ironic example you gave, considering Trump is a rapist, although I do agree with you in general.

      • IphtashuFitz@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        The judge in the last Trump case told jurors when the trial was over that it was in their best interests to remain anonymous and not talk about it. I don’t think judges do that very often…

        • Facebones@reddthat.com
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          9 months ago

          I’m sure the boring administrative folk are screaming that at anybody close to this right now.

          If you’re involved at all, no you’re not.