Donald Trump, on Monday, April 15, appeared in a New York courthouse and becomes the first former US president to stand trial in a criminal case.
The Republican politician is accused of falsifying his business records to disguise a hush-money payment made to Stormy Daniels, a former adult film star, shortly before the 2016 election.
Mr Trump, 77, faces a maximum of four years in jail if convicted, but could avoid jail time and be fined instead.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Mr Trump’s historic trial will take place in the middle of his presidential campaign, and could see the Republican nominee become a convicted felon months before voters head to the polls in November.
“It’s unprecedented,” said Alex Keyssar, a professor of history and public policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School. “There’s been nothing remotely comparable to it.”
The trial, which will begin with jury selection on Monday, is expected to last six to eight weeks and will centre around a reimbursement Mr. Trump made to his former fixer Michael Cohen.
Cohen, 57, claims he was directed to pay Ms Daniels $130,000 (£104,000) in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Mr Trump, something prosecutors have described as an attempt to “unlawfully influence” the 2016 election.
Hush money payments are not illegal. However, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office alleges that Mr Trump committed a crime by improperly recording the reimbursement to Cohen as legal expenses.
In total, he is accused of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. To reach a verdict, all 12 jurors must agree on whether Mr Trump is guilty or not guilty of a specific charge.
The trial in Manhattan is expected to feature testimony from a cast of colourful characters at the heart of the case, including Cohen, Ms. Daniels, and Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer who went to prison in part over the scandal.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
