The long-awaited trial against Donald Trump begins in New York: he is accused of buying the silence of a porn actress

Donald Trump He will become the first former president in history United State in Facing the punishment of justiceFor, in a trial that begins Monday in New York with Jury selection This will determine his fate in the middle of the presidential election campaign in November.

The Republican candidate will be arraigned at 9:30 am local time (1:30 pm GMT) before the judge of Colombian origin. Juan Manuel Merchanof the Supreme Court of Manhattan, L She is demanding $130,000 be paid to former porn actress Stormy Daniels Presumably to buy his silence about an extramarital affair and thus protect his 2016 campaign, which he ultimately won against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The 77-year-old former businessman was accused not of the push itself, but of pushing it Disguised as legal expenses for the Trump Organizationfamily business, which can lead to a number of… Up to four years in prison.

but, The ruling will not constitute an obstacle to his candidacy in the presidential elections scheduled for next November 5In which he will face the Democrat for the second time Joe BidenWho defeated him in the elections four years ago.

But the real possibility that Trump will become a convicted felon — and possibly face prison time — casts doubt Unprecedented uncertainty factor In a truly unexpected election.

“The risks are high, because Trump and his lawyers have so far managed to delay (other) trials.” He said he had pending attempts to reverse the results of the 2020 presidential election and his management of classified documents that he took home when he left the White House, France Press agency Carl Tobias is a professor of law at the University of Richmond.

Right now, this trial, which starts on Monday, The weakest case of the various legal fronts Trump faces open, According to experts, it appears that he is the only one who will be tried before the elections, despite multiple attempts by his lawyers to delay the celebration.

Saturday night, at a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump once again declared himself a victim of judicial persecution And the policy of the Democrats who want to prevent him from reaching the White House.

“I've been indicted more than Al Capone, the great gangster,” Trump told cheering supporters at a rally on Saturday in Pennsylvania, a key election state. “There is absolutely nothing here,” he insisted. “No misdemeanor, no felony, no federal crime.”

“Our enemies want to take away my freedom because I will never allow them to take away theirs.”he added.

His campaign team described the trial as a “direct assault on American democracy.”

The Trump campaign team's statement said, “These charges are completely fabricated for election interference.”

Trump claims so too He will not get a fair trial in New York.a very democratic city.

However, the former president confirmed that he will testify at the trialWhich can last between six and eight weeks.

The Manhattan Courthouse, in southern New York, is under construction Maximum alert. Demonstrations are expected from followers and opponents of the former businessman, as well as media from around the world.

Unlike other states, television cameras are not allowed in New York courts Only the written press will inform us of the development of this trial Which arouses great interest.

The judicial process begins with Selection of the twelve jurors who will be responsible for unanimously declaring the businessman “guilty” or “not guilty”This is a process that may take several days.

The twelve finalists and six alternates will be selected after answering a comprehensive questionnaire about their political sympathies and, above all, about their impartiality and their ability to determine the fate of one of the most influential politicians of recent times, both in the United States and in the world. the world.

Millionaire is Accused of 34 counts of falsifying Trump Organization accounting documents to disguise payments to Stormy Daniels as “legal expenses.”which was taken out of his pocket by Trump's then-attorney and trusted man, Michael CohenHe is currently a sworn enemy and will be one of the main witnesses for the prosecution.

The trial will have to prove what Trump knew about these payments, for which Cohen was already convicted.

(Information from Agence France-Presse)