Donald Trump will become the first former US president to face a criminal prosecution on Monday, marking a watershed moment for the country as the presidential election approaches in November. The process of selecting the jury that will decide the case begins first, with several crucial players expected in court as the case progresses.
Here are the important characters related to the hush money trial:
1. Donald Trump
The case centers around former President Donald Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign.
Prosecutors allege that as he approached victory in 2016, Trump paid $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels to cover up an illicit sexual affair he had with her in 2006.
That in itself may not have been a crime. However, prosecutors contend that Trump and his lawyer, Michael Cohen, attempted to cover up the payments, misrepresenting the transactions as legitimate payments in the Trump Organization’s accounts.
2. Stormy Daniels
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, said in an interview on 60 Minutes that they met at a celebrity golf tournament in Utah in 2006.
She claims they had sex in Trump’s hotel room, after which the billionaire suggested she appear on his successful TV show, “The Apprentice.”
Trump denies this ever happened, setting up a potential conflict between her and his attorneys as she is expected to testify.
3. Michael Cohen
Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer has become a sworn rival of the former president and will be the prosecution’s key witness.
Michael Cohen paid Stormy Daniels $130,000 at Donald Trump’s request, he claims, and he has a federal conviction for the payment.
He is expected to set out the former president’s alleged role for the jury, but the defense will paint him as untrustworthy because he was convicted of making false statements to the US Congress.
4. Alvin Bragg
Bragg, a self-described “child of Harlem” who was subjected to harsh NYPD tactics as a teenager, went on to Harvard and became the first African-American Manhattan prosecutor in January 2022.
Elected on the Democratic ticket, he took over the Trump case and was first criticized for supposedly attempting to bury it before indicting the former president.
Bragg oversaw the prosecution at the Trump Organization tax fraud trial, which resulted in the group’s first criminal conviction in 2022.
5. Judge Juan Merchan
Merchan, a distinguished magistrate in his 60s, was born in Colombia and moved to the United States with his parents.
He is known among other lawyers for being fair but stern, particularly on the efficient conduct of processes in his court.
The case will not be heard on Wednesdays because Merchan will be attending to his obligations in Manhattan’s Mental Health courts.
He has already drawn Trump’s ire, with the former president accusing the seasoned judge of bias.
Trump went on to accuse Merchan of being unable to ensure a fair trial because his daughter works for a Democratic-linked political organization.
6. Trump’s lawyers
Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche, Donald Trump’s lawyers, are seasoned white-collar crime lawyers.
Necheles, who graduated from Yale Law School and owns her own law company, is noted for her rigorous cross-examination style.
