Federal prosecutors say that Donald Trump might be able to put off the controversial Trump Indictment in New York City for up to a year.
Former US President Trump is expected to show up in New York City before his court date on Tuesday. Last week, District Attorney Alvin Bragg convinced a Manhattan grand jury to indict the former president.
Trump is accused of giving Stormy Daniels $130,000 in hush money before the 2016 election to keep her quiet.
NEW YORK, NY – JULY 24: Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former attorney arrives at his Park Avenue home after being released from federal prison on July 24, 2020 in New York City. On Thursday, a Manhattan federal judge ordered that Cohen return to home confinement after ruling that the government had sent him back to prison as “retaliation” for planning to publish a book about President Donald Trump.(Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)
Trump Indictment: Ex-President May Delay Trial For a Year
Since then, Trump has spoken out against the indictment, calling it a political trick, but some said he is not likely to go to trial until next year.
Federal prosecutors say that his lawyers will probably file a number of pre-trial motions to delay the trial, even though a federal judge probably wants the case to be heard before the 2024 presidential election.
Even though the case is getting a lot of attention, some lawyers are emphasizing that it is unlikely to move as quickly as some might hope.
Marc Agnifilo, a former assistant U.S. attorney and former assistant district attorney in Manhattan, said on MSNBC last Friday night that it’s likely Trump’s case won’t go to trial until about a year from now because of how the New York legal system is set up.
Agnifilo told Rachel Maddow that many motions and appeals can be made before a trial in New York State. This includes the fact that a defense can argue in front of a judge that the evidence presented to a grand jury was not enough to justify an indictment. Agnifilo said he expects Trump’s legal team to use this strategy.
READ ALSO: Former President Strategizes With Advisors Amid Donald Trump Indictment Surprise
Why Delaying This Indictment Became Possible?
Franklin Monsour, a former federal prosecutor, told Newsweek that criminal cases often move at the speed the defendants want. The former president, he said, is likely to drag this Trump indictment out as long as possible so that the story is no longer news.
Glenn Kirschner, a former federal prosecutor and legal analyst, said earlier this year that Trump could face charges in Fulton County, Georgia, in about the same amount of time. District Attorney Fani Willis has been leading an investigation into Trump’s alleged attempts to mess with the state’s election process in 2020.
READ ALSO: Prominent Republicans Remain Silent On Trump Indictment, While Democrats Celebrate Justice
