NEW YORK: Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday in a New York state court to a 34-count indictment accusing him of falsifying business records linked to a 2016 hush money payment to a porn actor in the first-ever criminal case against a current or former U.S. leader.
He surrendered and was placed under arrest before he was arraigned in a historic and unprecedented court appearance, in which the former president heard the charges against him for the first time.
Trump entered his not guilty plea at his arraignment on the allegations before New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan after the jurist unveiled the indictment.
There was no live television broadcast of the proceeding after Merchan rejected requests from media outlets to air it. But the justice allowed a small group of photographers to take still pictures before the proceeding began.
The former president, wearing his customary blue suit and red tie, appeared somber, intent and contemplative in one photo taken moments after he took his seat amidst his defense attorneys at the defendant’s table.
His defense lawyers Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles and Joe Tacopina sat on either side of him, as armed courtroom security guards stood behind Trump.
Prosecutors in the case allege that a $130,000 hush money payment was made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels just ahead of Trump’s successful 2016 run for the presidency to silence her about her claim of an alleged tryst with him a decade earlier.
Trump has long denied the claim of Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, of a one-night encounter with her. But Trump has not denied that his one-time lawyer and political fixer, Michael Cohen, made the payment to Daniels and that reimbursement payments to Cohen were recorded on a Trump Organization business ledger as legal expenses. Trump disputes the payment was related to his presidential campaign seven years ago.
The indictment alleged an “illegal conspiracy,” but Trump, with his not guilty plea, was denying that the business records were falsified.
The outcome of any trial could hinge on the intent behind the payment to Daniels. Cohen pleaded guilty to several offenses linked to the transactions and served more than a year in prison.
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