Trump’s hush money case: Judge declines to delay historic trial over complaints of publicity

The New York judge overseeing former United States President and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump’s hush money criminal case,on Friday (Apr 12) rejected his latest bid to delay Monday’strial. The order was passed on the ground that the substantial pre-trial publicity would make the proceedings unfair.

‘His own doing’

Trump lost yet another bid to delay his April 15 criminal trial on charges related to paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels. This comes after the former president faced a string of defeats in various courts to delay the beginning of the trial which will start on Monday with the jury selection.

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Trump, 77, is set to become the first-ever former US president to go on trial for criminal charges. The most recent delay denial came after he sought an indefinite postponement saying media coverage was prejudiced against him, which would make finding an acceptable jury in Manhattan difficult.

Also Read |Donald Trump loses bid to delay hush money trial in major courtroom setback

He also claimed that the borough was “overwhelmingly biased” against him. However, in his decision on Friday, Judge Juan Merchan said an indefinite delay in the trial was “not tenable.”

Trump “appears to take the position that his situation and this case are unique and that the pre-trial publicity will never subside. However, this view does not align with reality,” Judge Merchan wrote.

He also noted how the former president himself is responsible for generating this publicity around his legal woes because of his statements.

Merchan said that Trump was “personally responsible for generating much, if not most, of the surrounding publicity with his public statements” outside courtrooms and on social media.

“The situation Defendant finds himself in now is not new to him and at least in part, of his own doing,” the judge added.

He also said that questioning prospective jurors would address any concerns about their ability to be impartial.

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche, in a court filing last month,argued that “potential jurors in Manhattan have been exposed to huge amounts of biased and unfair media coverage relating to this case.”

Meanwhile, the prosecutors argued that the publicity was not likely to drop, and it would be “perverse” to reward the former president with a delay based on the media attention he is responsible for.

‘Very unfair’

Meanwhile, Trump on Friday, told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, that he planned on testifying during the trial and called the case a “scam,” and went on to call the trial “very unfair”.

Also Read |Stormy Daniels hush money case: Trump’s historic criminal trial set for April 15

“All I can do is tell the truth…(and) the truth is, they have no case,” said the former president. When asked about the jury selection Trump said it was “largely luck” and “depends who you get.”

Trump has pleaded not guilty to the 34-count indictment, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat. This includes charges of accounting fraud and falsifying business records to cover up the $130,000 payment to the adult film star ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

The prosecutors have also accused Trump of illegally covering up remittances to his long-time lawyer, Michael Cohen to reimburse him for payments about the Republican frontrunner’s alleged extramarital sexual relations with Daniels and a Playboy model.

(With inputs from agencies)