Previewing Donald Trump's upcoming inaugural trial: What can we anticipate?

Donald Trump is scheduled to face his first criminal trial next month, starting with jury selection on March 25th. While the former president has recently appeared in civil trials in New York, this criminal trial will have a different dynamic. Trump, who is now 77, is facing 34 counts of fraud related to alleged hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty, arguing that the claims do not constitute a crime. The trial, which will take place in Manhattan, may take Trump off the campaign trail for up to six weeks. Unlike his previous civil trials, Trump is a criminal defendant and has the right to be present every day. Skipping court would be a significant mistake, according to Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor. Rahmani believes that it could give the impression that Trump does not respect the court's time and could result in a conviction. Despite the trial potentially interfering with primary contests in six states, Trump has already established a lead in the Republican primary. By early March, he is expected to have a strong hold on the nomination. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who oversaw a tax fraud trial against the Trump Organization, will preside over this high-profile case. Trump previously requested that the judge step aside, but his request was denied. Trump has assembled a team of lawyers led by Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche to represent him in the trial. On the prosecution side, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has selected eight seasoned litigators. They anticipate needing a minimum of 15-17 days to present their case but may require more if both parties cannot agree on certain stipulations. Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney and personal fixer, is expected to be the prosecution's star witness. He will likely face intense cross-examination due to his controversial past. Trump will argue that the charges against him are meritless and politically motivated. Jury selection is expected to be a time-consuming process. Prospective jurors may face questions about their news sources, political affiliations, and opinions on the 2020 election and Trump himself. Due to the widespread familiarity and opinions about Trump, it may require interviewing a significant number of jurors to form a panel. Each side will also have a limited number of challenges without providing cause. The trial will not allow audiovisual coverage, with New York being one of three jurisdictions in the country that restricts such coverage. While there had been brief exceptions during the pandemic, Justice Merchan has not allowed cameras in his courtroom during preliminary hearings and is unlikely to change his stance for the trial. As a result, only a limited number of individuals from the public and press will be able to witness the trial firsthand, with others relying on media reports, sketches, and Trump's online posts for updates.