Trump on Trial - Episode 1 |OT| The One with the Porn Star (GUILTY, 34 FELONIES; sentencing July 11)

[phisheep]

30 May GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS (TRIAL SUMMARY) (TRANSCRIPTS)

The People of the State of New York v Donald J Trump

Court: New York City
Case: IND-71543-23 DOCKET (and article on why the docket is so useless!) (alternative) (OFFICIAL PRESS DOCUMENTS)
Judge: Juan Merchan (previously seen trying Weisselberg, Trump Org and Steve Bannon)
Prosecution: Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg

Indictment
District Attorney's announcement
Statement of Facts supporting the Indictment
The Indictment itself
There are 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. All of them relate to business records of Trump's inflated repayment of Cohen's payment of $130,000 to Stormy Daniels: 11 invoices, 11 checks and 12 ledger entries (because the first payment covered two months); and all of them recorded as being for a wholly imaginary retainer agreement for wholly imaginary legal services.

Events
30 March 2023 - Grand Jury issued indictment under seal
3 April 2023 press motions to stream proceedings/publish indictment - DENIED
4 April 2023 2:15 Eastern - arraignment. Indictment released
4 April 2023 8:15 Eastern - Trump press conference Mar-a-Lago
24 April 2023 Government motion for protective order
8 May 2023 protective order on discovery
27 Jun 2023 - hearing on Trump's motion to remove to Federal Court (Judge Hellerstein, SDNY)
19 July 2023 - Judge Hellerstein DENIES removal to Federal Court...
28 July 2023 - ... so naturally Trump appeals this to the 2nd circuit.
14 Aug 2023 - Judge Merchan DENIES attempt to get him to recuse himself
5 Oct 2023 - Trump's enormous omnibus motion to dismiss etc
15 Feb 2024 - motions to dismiss DENIED
22 Feb 2024 - Trump motions in limine, opposed 29 Feb, ORDER 18 Mar
22 Feb 2024 - State motions in limine, opposed 29 Feb, ORDER 18 Mar
22 Feb 2024 - State motion for protective order on Juror names/addresses, GRANTED IN PART 7 Mar
7 Mar 2024 - Trump motion to preclude evidence and adjourn trial pending SCOTUS on Presidential immunity, opposed 15 Mar, DENIED 3 Apr
8 Mar 2024 - Trump motion to dismiss and for sanctions and 90-day adjournment, response 21 Mar, hearing 25 Mar, DENIED 25 Mar
25 Mar 2024 - Trump motion to delay for pretrial publicity, opposed 1 Apr, DENIED 12 Apr
26 Mar 2024 - ORDER restricting extrajudicial statements ('gag order')
28 Mar 2024 - DA premotion letter to clarify order, opposed 29 Mar, DA reply 1 Apr, opposed again 1 Apr, GRANTED 1 Apr
1 Apr 2024 - Trump premotion letter to recuse judge, opposed 2 Apr, motion 5 Apr, opposed 8 Apr, DENIED 15 Apr from the bench
5 Apr 2024 - ORDER quashing Trump's subpoena to NBC
8 Apr 2024 - Trump motion to stay trial pending appeal for change of venue DENIED
8 Apr 2024 - jury selection instructions
9 Apr 2024 - trump motion to stay trial pending appeal of gag order DENIED (appeal response 12 Apr, reply 15 Apr 10am, DENIED 14 May)
10 Apr 2024 - Trump motion to stay pending appeals of motion filing, immunity, recusal DENIED (appeal response 17 Apr, reply 22 Apr)
15 Apr 2024 - TRIAL (TRIAL SUMMARY)
30 May 2024 - Jury verdict GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS

13 Jun 2024 - Defense post-trial motions, responses due 27 Jun
11 Jul 2024 - Sentencing


District Court docket (removal DENIED 19 July )
2nd Circuit docket (motion to remand GRANTED 19 Jul, mandated back to District Court 15 Nov )


Reporting Links (links to court reporting, livestreams etc when we get them)
4th April 2023 DA Press conference following arraignment (CNBC)
4th April 2023 Trump remarks at Mar-Lago following arraignment (KUSI)
for Jury selection: Tyler McBrien (@TylerMcBrien), Matthew Russell Lee (@innercitypress)
Unrolled trial threads included in the Trial Summary page.

Applicable Law
New York Penal Code

A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the second degree
when, with intent to defraud, he:
1. Makes or causes a false entry in the business records of an
enterprise; or
2. Alters, erases, obliterates, deletes, removes or destroys a true
entry in the business records of an enterprise; or
3. Omits to make a true entry in the business records of an enterprise
in violation of a duty to do so which he knows to be imposed upon him by
law or by the nature of his position; or
4. Prevents the making of a true entry or causes the omission thereof
in the business records of an enterprise.
Falsifying business records in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.

Click to shrink...

A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree
when he commits the crime of falsifying business records in the second
degree, and when his intent to defraud includes an intent to commit
another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof.
Falsifying business records in the first degree is a class E felony.

Click to shrink...

New York Criminal Procedure
§ 30.10 Timeliness of prosecutions; periods of limitation
§ 255.20 Pre-trial motions; procedure

Background

There's been a long complicated run-up to this indictment, which arose from a ten-year-old allegation from porn actress Stormy Daniels which threatened to drop a week or so before the 2016 election. Trump got Michael Cohen to pay her off and sign an NDA after Pecker of the National Enquirer refused to do so this time. Stormy went public anyway in Jan 2018, assisted by the since-convicted demon fraud lawyer Michael Avenatti, God rest his soul. There followed all sorts of manuevers, including Trump holding the dirt on the then Manhattan District Attorney Schneidermann. Eventually Cohen was raided as part of the Mueller probe, convicted of eight counts of tax evasion, false reporting and campaign finance. He then flipped on Trump and testified to Congress. The investigation sputtered to a halt under Schneidermann's successor Cy Vance after USAG Bill Barr sent SDNY to shut it down, and picked up somewhat belatedly only under the current DA Alvin Bragg.

(In the meantime the the Trump Foundation has been shut down, and the Trump Organisation has been convicted of various frauds.)

The Grand Jury indicted Trump on Thursday March 30th 2023. Whereupon all the press, and Resetera, indulged in bouts of unfounded speculation to fill in the time before we find out the charges.

Also on Resetera (only a small selection of the related threads, there's about 8 pages of them altogether)

Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen says he paid Stormy Daniels $130,000 of his own money
Stormy Daniels no longer bound by NDA thanks to Trump's lawyer's statement
CNN: Trump asking for advice on Stormy Daniels situation
Michael Cohen's Mysterious Third Client is Sean Hannity
Michael Cohen to Plead the Fifth in Stormy Daniels Case
Court Filing: Donald Trump and Michael Cohen knew of allegations against Schneiderman
Trump financial disclosure lists reimbursement to attorney Michael Cohen for Stormy Daniels
WaPo: National Enquirer sent stories about Trump to his attorney Michael Cohen before publication
Ex-Trump/Sean Hannity lawyer Michael Cohen has reached a plea deal with prosecutors
Michael Cohen implicates Trump in court over hush payments
Michael Cohen seeks to tear up Stormy Daniels deal, wants money back
WSJ: "Donald Trump Played Central Role in Hush Payoffs to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal"
Michael Cohen sentenced to three years in prison
Michael Cohen postponing Congress testimony after threats to family from Trump
"He is a racist. He is a con-man. He is a cheat." Michael Cohen's 20 page opening statement leaks.
Michael Cohen has signed an agreement to help Manhattan district attorney (not SDNY) in Trump Org probe
New York Times: Grand Jury votes to indict Trump
Former President Trump has been charged with around two dozen counts, including multiple felonies
Trump GUILTY on all 34 felony counts in New York (Sentencing set for July 11)

PRESS/MEDIA WARNINGS

In most criminal cases, perhaps even more so in this one, leaks to the press come mostly from the defense lawyers and are spun accordingly. Unless specifically attributed to the DA's office, anything like "Persons familiar ..." is likely from the Trump camp. Just bear that in mind, eh?

Also, be careful about expectations for sentencing. Too much of the press tend to just add up all the maximum sentences and set expectations way too high, so they can complain afterwards if that's not what the sentence is. Nearly nobody gets maximum sentences for anything. Just sayin'.

People who enjoyed this may also enjoy ...
E Jean Carroll v Donald J Trump (civil case for battery and defamation)
Trump on Trial - Episode 2 |OT| The One with the Perfect Phone Call in Georgia (Fulton County)
Trump on Trial - Episode 3 |OT| The One with the Bigliest Assets Ever (New York Civil Fraud)
Trump on Trial - Episode 4 |OT| The One with the Missing Documents
Trump on Trial - Episode 5 |OT| The One with the Insurrection
Trump on Trial - Episode 6 |OT| The One with the One Weird Trick (14th amendment ballot access)
Trump on Trial - Episode 7 |OT| The Ones with the Ku Klux Klan Act (Jan 6 civil cases)

 

[phisheep]

It's happening!

 

[The Albatross]

Nice work on the OP!

One of my favorite things in this is that Michael Cohen had to take out a home equity loan to pay Stormy Daniels. Like... this when Donald Trump was going around the country bragging about how much of a rich billionaire he was. And Cohen had to scramble to throw together a home equity loan.

 

[Bakercat]

Love the rundown of everything, great job OP!

 

[Dark Knight]

Bake him away, toys.

 

[Fat4all]

wonder where this will stand in the grand scheme of 'celebrity' trials

Menendez Brothers
OJ Simpson
Michael Jackson
Casey Anthony

 

[AuthenticM]

phisheep So awesome of you to have made this thread!

Do you think this saga will be shorter or longer than Tim Langdell's? You had kept that thread active for years it feels like. It was such a long time ago though.

 

[Ashodin]

ITS HAPPENING

 

[vixolus]

so indictment is public tomorrow?

 

[Brat-Sampson]

Pfft, notify me when something act-

*BATMAN SLAP*

 

[Humidex]

Great work phisheep on the post.

 

[ZeroMaverick]

So who's eating cat food and who's buying Sonic?

 

[Bengraven]

Great thread. This is gonna be historic.

 

[egg]

 

[JLP101]

Bake him away, toys.

Click to shrink...

What did you say chief?

 

[Brinbe]

History in the making...

And


View: https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1642904885669552131?t=QHhcnhtLMpkqc2fHiv9AjA&s=19

There's more down the road separate from this... 😁

 

[Volimar]

Bets on whether the mug shot leaks vs. we all fall for a fake mugshot?

 

[Mivey]

Let's hope this show has better writing than then previous ones. It's just not realistic that the bad guy would get away with everything while so effectively deroding the democratic institutions of the fictional country it takes place in.

 

[ZeoVGM]

Great OP.

 

[Binabik15]

I don't trust the system, BUT the system is finally doing its work. Hopefully something comes out of it for Trump and not just people associated with him.

 

[Wraith]

Bets on whether the mug shot leaks vs. we all fall for a fake mugshot?

Click to shrink...

Think it'll be in the Library of Congress some day?

(Hell, hang it up as the Trump white house portrait.)

 

[OtakuCoder]

Sergeants, take him away and book him!

Sergeant Takimaway, Sergeant Bookim.

 

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

toasting in a legendary bread

 

[scottbeowulf]

I'm so here for this, lets go

 

[Hound]

Live footage of the Team Trump lawyer's legal strategy meeting:

 

[Username1198]

Man I was thinking of something long and eloquent to say like how it's awesome as an immigrant brown dude to see this traitor get his but I think LOCK HIM UP is more concise and fitting.

Spoiler

 

[Casa]

Please, please, please be something completely unexpected tomorrow when we actually see the charges. Something much worse than just hush money related.

 

[NPVinny]

Sergeants, take him away and book him!

Sergeant Takimaway, Sergeant Bookim.

Click to shrink...

Bake 'em away, toys!

 

[gilko79]

Poggers

 

[KraftyKrankins]

just as I had finally learned to ignore the big orange

 

[Pwnz]

My bet is there's like a dozen women that came forward with other hush payments.

 

[chainlinkspiral]

Doing Something!

 

[Mezentine]

I want to know what those felonies are!

 

[Okabe]

 

[The Unsent]

''STOP THE COURT!''

 

[LetsEatSnacks]

"Right Side Broadcasting" Oh my... He's starting his very own propaganda media television channel now!? Legitimately insane.

 

[ToughSoundingName]

 

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

Man I was thinking of something long and eloquent to say like how it's awesome as an immigrant brown dude to see this traitor get his but I think LOCK HIM UP is more concise and fitting.

Spoiler

Click to shrink...

Let's not sully the thread with his dumbass face

 

[Nacho Papi]

How do I hold all these crimes?

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

PORNSTAR WARS: Episode One

The Phantom Penis

 

[srtrestre]

 

[Atom Heart Mother]

"Right Side Broadcasting" Oh my... He's starting his very own propaganda media television channel now!? Legitimately insane.

Click to shrink...

they've been around forever

 

[Kommodore]

Following thread. Thanks.

I've been tempering expectations a lot since Trump lost the election hoping he'd fade slowly away or some sort of justice served for what he did to the country. The constant media attention he received, and how much he got away with, all fed into how happy I'd be if karma tipped against him, but I knew it would be incredibly unlikely. So I convinced myself to let it go. But with the classified docs news, the indictment, and more serious charges waiting in the wings, which are far more in line with the type of charges I'd hope to see. I find allowing myself a little bit of hope.

 

[Rhomega]

 

[Loan Wolf]

ERA: Release the peepee tape!

Also ERA:

 

[horsebite]

Let's go!

 

[misery mired]

hell yes. so pumped for tomorrow

 

[FrostweaveBandage]

Please, please, please be something completely unexpected tomorrow when we actually see the charges. Something much worse than just hush money related.

Click to shrink...

I think there's good reason for Trump to be trolling his campaign email stuff out now instead of later.

If really bad stuff comes out tomorrow it won't be as effective.

 

[DeadmansTheory]

Nice OP, thanks for making it!

 

[MisterSnrub]

Good work OP. I'm working from home all day tomorrow. Got a couple of bottles put to the side for when it happens.