Donald Trump will become the first former president to stand trial in a criminal case next week — and he will do so against the backdrop of a presidential campaign in which he is the presumptive Republican nominee.
Jury selection begins Monday in New York City, and the trial is expected to last six to eight weeks.
Here’s a look at what you need to know and what’s expected to happen.
How long should jury selection last?
Jury selection is expected to last one to two weeks. Starting Monday, Trump’s prosecutors and lawyers will try to whittle a pool of potentially hundreds of people down to 12 jurors and six alternates. Each juror will respond 42 questions designed to discern whether they can be impartial toward the polarizing former president. The questions include questions about what news sources they follow and whether they have attended any Trump rallies or protests. Jurors will be anonymous, meaning their identities will be hidden from the public for security reasons.
A criminal trial involving Trump’s company before the same judge in 2022 took a week to select 12 jurors and five alternates.
What is Trump accused of?
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused Trump of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, a low-level felony. Trump faces a maximum of four years in prison if he is convicted.
What is the prosecution alleging?
Prosecutors allege that Trump “repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that concealed damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election.”
At the center of the case are allegations of multiple sex scandals that prosecutors say Trump tried to suppress with the help of his lawyer Michael Cohen and senior executives in charge of the National Enquirer. In the final days of the election, Cohen paid one of the women, adult film star Stormy Daniels, $130,000 to keep silent about her claim that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Trump denied the accusation.
After being elected, Trump reimbursed Cohen through a series of checks from his trust that were processed through the Trump Organization and labeled as payments “for legal services rendered” — a claim the prosecutor says is false.
What is Trump’s defense?
Trump maintained he did nothing wrong, and while he acknowledged Cohen’s refund, he said he did not know details about what Cohen was doing.
His lawyers are likely to target Cohen on the witness stand, painting him as a liar who detests the former president and whose testimony should not be believed. They are also likely to be aggressive with Daniels and are expected to focus on comments she made mocking Trump in an effort to portray her as biased and untrustworthy.
Who will testify for the prosecution?
Cohen, who claims Trump instructed him to make the payment to Daniels, is expected to be a key witness, as is Daniels. Trump’s lawyers tried to ban both from testifying, but Judge Juan Merchan gave them both the green light to testify. Daniels’ former attorney, Keith Davidson, will likely testify about their negotiations over the pay, a source with direct knowledge of the situation said.
Also expected to testify is Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who said she had an affair with Trump, a claim he denies. She received money from the Enquirer to keep silent about her allegations in what prosecutors said was part of a “catch and kill” scheme designed to contain potential Trump scandals.
David Pecker, a Trump ally who was CEO of Enquirer publisher AMI at the time, is also expected to be called, the source said. Dylan Howard, another former AMI executive involved in discussions with Trump and Cohen, may also testify.
Former White House communications director Hope Hicks — who prosecutors said was involved in phone calls between Trump, Cohen and AMI — and former Trump assistant Madeleine Westerhout are also likely to take the stand, the source said.
Jurors are also expected to hear from Jeffrey McConney, a former controller of the Trump Organization, and Deborah Tarasoff, a former accounts payable supervisor at the company, the source said.
Who will testify in Trump’s defense?
Court records show that Trump plans to call Bradley A. Smith, former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, who will testify about the FEC and its role, the laws it is responsible for enforcing and definitions and terms related to the case. The judge ruled that he will not be allowed to give his opinion on whether Trump’s actions violated election law, as Trump had hoped he would.
Trump, who is the only person who can directly refute some of Cohen’s claims, said Friday that he would “absolutely” testify at the trial. He is not obliged to take a position.
Will Trump have to be in court every day?
Unlike the New York civil fraud and E. Jean Carroll defamation trials, the prosecutor’s case is criminal, meaning Trump is required to be in court every day to participate in his defense. The trial ends on Wednesdays, but Trump will have to be in court during the other four days of the court week. Test days are scheduled to last from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Trump suggested he might hold campaign events at night, after having appeared in court during the day.
How many jury votes are needed for a conviction or acquittal?
To reach a verdict, all 12 jurors must agree on whether Trump is guilty or innocent of a specific charge.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
