Former President Donald Trump will be required to attend his upcoming trial in person in New York City, limiting his ability to travel outside of the state for several weeks amid his presidential campaign.
Trump is set to face trial for charges of allegedly falsifying business documents in connection to an alleged hush money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. Judge Juan Merchan this week scheduled the trial to begin on April 15, 2024, setting the stage for Trump’s first criminal trial ahead of the presidential election in November.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg last year charged Trump in a 34-count indictment over the alleged hush money payment, which prosecutors allege was intended to prevent Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, from discussing her claims of having an affair with the former president.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the case, denied having an affair with Daniels and accused Bragg of targeting him for political purposes.
Legal experts say the trial could last for several weeks, and New York law requires defendants to be personally present during a trial for a criminal indictment.
New York law states, “A defendant must be personally present during the trial of an indictment.”
It continues: “Provided, however, that a defendant who conducts himself in so disorderly and disruptive a manner that his trial cannot be carried on with him in the courtroom may be removed from the courtroom if, after he has been warned by the court that he will be removed if he continues such conduct, he continues to engage in such conduct.”
Newsweek reached out to Trump’s campaign for comment via email.
The trial threatens to interfere with Trump’s ability to campaign next month as he remains the presumptive Republican nominee in the 2024 election. He appears set to face off against President Joe Biden in a rematch of 2020 in November, with polls showing a tight race in crucial swing states.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
The length of the trial depends on several factors, including how long jury selection takes and whether Judge Merchan opts for half days or takes days off to attend to other cases.
Former Trump attorney Tim Parlatore discussed how the trial could affect his campaigning during an interview on Fox News this week.
“The way that criminal trials work in New York is that you have to be there every single day, and so depending on how long the presentation is, that’s how long you stay on,” he said.
The “big unknown” is how long the jury selection will last, Parlatore said.
“Is that going to be something they can get done in three days, or are they going to lose the whole panel and have to go a few weeks with just jury selection?” he said.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.