The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has taken a definitive stand against former President Donald Trump’s latest effort to delay the start of his hush money trial, scheduled to commence with jury selection on April 15th. Trump’s legal team has cited “huge amounts” of prejudicial media coverage as the basis for their request. However, the prosecution counters that the media attention is largely a consequence of Trump’s own actions and rhetoric.
Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo underscored this stance in a recent filing, asserting, “[D]efendant’s own incessant rhetoric is generating significant publicity, and it would be perverse to reward defendant with an adjournment based on media attention he is actively seeking.” This sentiment was echoed across multiple statements, painting a picture of a defendant who cannot claim unfair treatment from the very spotlight he courted.
This dispute centers on 34 charges of falsifying business records. The prosecution claims Trump tried to hide a payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to safeguard his image during the 2016 presidential race. Trump has consistently proclaimed his innocence.
Trump’s attorneys argue that the Manhattan jury pool has been tainted by biased coverage, but the DA’s office believes a meticulous jury selection process can secure an impartial group. Prosecutor Colangelo reiterated, “Defendant thus fails to demonstrate that the publicity surrounding this case is prejudicial at all, much less so inflammatory as to jeopardize the fundamental fairness of the trial.”
The former president’s legal team had previously filed a motion requesting an indefinite delay until the media’s focus on the case diminished. Prosecutors have dismissed this strategy as part of a broader attempt to push all four of Trump’s criminal trials past the November election. The DA’s office dismissed the purported polling and media study provided by Trump’s attorneys as unreliable, stating, “None of the new information presented by defendant supports his request for an adjournment; indeed, much of the new data actually confirms that this Court will be able to find twelve impartial jurors (and alternates) in Manhattan.”
The trial is significant as it marks the initial criminal trial of a former US president. Trump’s legal team has tried to disqualify Judge Juan Merchan, claiming a conflict of interest because his daughter works for a company linked to political figures against Trump. These attempts have not succeeded yet.
The legal proceedings have been characterized by the extended gag order placed on Trump, in response to his online comments directed at the judge’s daughter.Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg labeled Trump’s recent remarks as “dangerous, violent, and reprehensible,” compelling Judge Merchan to bar Trump from making public attacks on family members of court and the district attorney’s office to safeguard the Rule of Law and the fair administration of justice.
Relevant articles:
– Manhattan DA asks judge to reject Trump’s latest … – ABC News, ABC News – Breaking News, Latest News and Videos, 2 hours ago
– Manhattan DA asks judge to reject Trump’s latest attempt to delay hush money trial, ABC News, April 03, 2024
– Manhattan DA blasts Trump for trying to delay hush money trial over publicity he’s ‘actively seeking’, NBC Connecticut, April 03, 2024
– Manhattan DA opposes Trump’s demand to delay hush money trial over ‘prejudicial’ media coverage, The Hill, April 03, 2024