CBS News
Trump trial set to kick off today in a historic first for a former president
When order is called in room 1530 of the Manhattan Criminal Court at about 9:30 ET on Monday morning, it will mark the beginning of an event never before seen in American history: a former president on trial for alleged crimes.
Flanked by his attorneys, Secret Service agents and key campaign staff, Donald Trump will be seated on the left side of the largest courtroom in the 83-year-old building, at a table where countless defendants before him have appeared.
The case is the first of four criminal prosecutions against Trump to make it to trial. He faces charges in two federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith in Washington, D.C., and Florida, and in a second state case brought by prosecutors in Georgia. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, claiming the prosecutions are part of a plot by his political opponents aimed at keeping him from retaking the White House.
Monday’s proceedings will begin with Trump’s lawyers and prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office arguing over some outstanding issues related to trial rules. Then, the first of more than 500 potential jurors will be escorted into the room. By that point, many will have noticed the extraordinary security apparatus outside and within the courthouse, as well as anticipated demonstrators for and against Trump. In Trump’s recent civil defamation trial just a block away, several would-be jurors appeared visibly shocked when they first saw him sitting at the defense table.
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
Many will be able to see Trump and observe any of his reactions while the judge describes the case. The allegations, New York State Justice Juan Merchan is expected to say, “are, in substance, that Donald Trump falsified business records to conceal an agreement with others to unlawfully influence the 2016 presidential election.”
He’ll continue by mentioning the names of two well-known key witnesses in the case, both of whom Trump considers archnemeses: his former attorney Michael Cohen, and the adult film star Stormy Daniels.
“Specifically, it is alleged that Donald Trump made or caused false business records to hide the true nature of payments made to Michael Cohen, by characterizing them as payment for legal services rendered pursuant to a retainer agreement,” Merchan will say, according to pretrial court filings. “The [prosecutors] allege that in fact, the payments were intended to reimburse Michael Cohen for money he paid to Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, in the weeks before the presidential election to prevent her from publicly revealing details about a past sexual encounter with Donald Trump.”
As a criminal defendant, Trump is required to attend proceedings each day of the trial unless he applies for a waiver. He’ll watch on Monday, and likely several more days, as his lawyers and prosecutors seek to whittle the group of potential jurors down to just 12, plus a few alternates. The two sides will then begin presenting their cases.
Trump has entered a not guilty plea to 34 counts of falsification of business records. He has accused Bragg of bringing the case for political gain.In a letter to members of Congress last year, a lawyer for Bragg hit back at that accusation, saying “were brought by citizens of New York, doing their civic duty as members of a grand jury, who found probable cause to accuse Mr. Trump of having committed crimes in New York.”
NEW YORK — Former New York Gov. David Paterson and his stepson were attacked in New York City on Friday night, authorities said.
The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. on Second Avenue near East 96th Street on the Upper East Side, according to the New York City Police Department.
Police said officers were sent to the scene after an assault was reported. When officers arrived, police say they found a 20-year-old man suffering from facial injuries and a 70-year-old man who had head pain. Both victims were taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the former governor said the two were attacked while “taking a walk around the block near their home by some individuals that had a previous interaction with his stepson.”
The spokesperson said that they were injured “but were able to fight off their attackers.”
Both were taken to Cornell Hospital “as a precaution,” he added.
Police said no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
The 70-year-old Paterson, a Democrat, served as governor from 2008 to 2010, stepping into the post after the resignation of Eliot Spitzer following his prostitution scandal. He made history at the time as the state’s first-ever Black and legally blind governor.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
A 17-year-old boy was critically injured and a person is in custody after a gunman opened fire on a SEPTA bus in North Philadelphia Friday evening, police said.
At around 6:15 p.m., Philadelphia police were notified about a shooting on a SEPTA bus traveling on Allegheny Avenue near 3rd and 4th streets in North Philadelphia, Inspector D F Pace told CBS News Philadelphia.
There were an estimated 30 people on the bus at the time of the shooting, Pace said, but only the 17-year-old boy was believed to have been shot. Investigators said they believe it was a targeted attack on the teenager and that he was shot in the back of the bus at close range.
According to Pace, the SEPTA bus driver alerted a control center about the shooting, which then relayed the message to Philadelphia police, who responded to the scene shortly.
Officers arrived at the scene and found at least one spent shell casing and blood on the bus, but no shooting victim, Pace said. Investigators later discovered the 17-year-old had been taken to Temple University Hospital where he is said to be in critical condition, according to police.
CBS Philadelphia
Through their preliminary investigation, police learned those involved in the SEPTA shooting may have fled in a silver-colored Kia.
Authorities then found a car matching the description of the Kia speeding in the area and a pursuit began, Pace said. Police got help from a PPD helicopter as they followed the Kia, which ended up crashing at 5th and Greenwood streets in East Mount Airy. Pace said the Kia crashed into a parked car.
The driver of the crashed car ran away but police were still able to take them into custody, Pace said.
Investigators believe there was a second person involved in the shooting who ran from the car before it crashed. Police said they believe this person escaped near Allegheny Avenue and 4th Street, leaving a coat behind.
According to Pace, police also found a gun and a group of spent shell casings believed to be involved in the shooting in the same area.
“It’s very possible that there may have been a shooting inside the bus and also shots fired from outside of the bus toward the bus,” Pace said, “We’re still trying to piece all that together at this time.”
This is an active investigation and police are reviewing surveillance footage from the SEPTA bus.