The former president’s criminal trial will begin on March 25, 2024.
A New York City judge has set a March 25, 2024 trial date for former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial on charges of falsifying business records.
The former president appeared in Manhattan court on Tuesday before the judge presiding over his criminal case.
Trump sat side-by-side with his attorney, Todd Blanch, folded his arms on the table and looked straight into the camera as Judge Juan Mercant announced the trial date. Presidency.
Merchan has previously indicated that no one connected to the case is allowed to schedule anything that would conflict with the trial, including any campaign appearances that would prevent Trump from appearing in court.
Merson reviewed for Trump the terms of the protective order barring the sharing on social media of any evidence turned over by the Manhattan district attorney during discovery.
Prosecutors sought the protective order after Trump criticized Mercen, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and others involved in the case.
“President Trump is running for president of the United States, and he’s the leading contender,” Blanch told the judge. “He is very concerned that his First Amendment rights are being violated.”
Merson reiterated that the protection order was not a cake order.
“This is certainly not a gag order, and it is not my intention to prevent Mr. Trump from campaigning for president,” Merson said. “He is free to do anything that does not violate the terms of this protective order.”
Trump pleaded not guilty last month to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records stemming from a $130,000 hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the final weeks of the 2016 campaign.
Trump has been charged in connection with what prosecutors called an “illegal scheme” to influence the 2016 presidential election. He ordered her then-personal attorney, Michael Cohen, to pay Daniels $130,000 to stop her from publicizing the long-denied affair with Trump. Trump reimbursed Cohen through a series of monthly checks that prosecutors say falsified business records to hide the true purpose of the payments.
