What is an indictment?
We can see by what you're searching on Google that many of you in the UK have questions about this complicated case. First up, what exactly is an indictment? It's a formal written accusation that a person has committed a crime. It typically involves felony charges, though not always. Felonies are crimes punishable by a term of imprisonment of one year or more. In Trump’s case, the indictment does involve felony charges. The indictment is used to inform an accused person about the charges against them.
Unlike regular charges brought forth by a prosecutor, an indictment is the result of a secret vote by a grand jury. This is a group of citizens who hear evidence, including witness testimony, and decide whether there is enough evidence to charge a person with a crime.
Donald Trump threw a stick of dynamite into US politics almost two weeks ago when he predicted his imminent arrest. The fuse on that stick turned out to be longer than expected, but on Thursday night it exploded. Mr Trump will be the first former US president to face criminal charges. He will be the first former president to be fingerprinted, taken for a mugshot, and compelled to stand as an accused defendant before a judge. If the case proceeds as expected, he will be the first former US president to sit before a jury of his peers. As the news broke, other members of the Republican Party closed ranks around their former president. The White House has been keeping a studious silence on the matter, while other Democrats have been less reticent. "The bedrock of our legal system is the principle that justice applies to everyone equally," Democratic Senator Cory Booker said in a statement. "No one is above the law." Mr. Trump's current legal drama may reach a crescendo and conclude well before a vote is cast in 2024. The political fallout could ultimately depend on the course it tracks - and whether this case is joined by others.
Here's a recap of what has happened so far:
- Donald Trump is the first US president to be indicted in criminal proceedings, which also happened as he is seeking the Republican nomination in 2024 The specific charge is not known, but the grand jury investigation centered on a $130,000 bribe to porn actress Stormy Daniels to stop her from going public about a sexual encounter with Trump The key witness in the case, former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, told MSNBC that the indictment "will speak for itself" Trump is due to appear in court on Tuesday next week for his arraignment, during which he will be asked to enter a plea, according to his lawyer Trump described the indictment as "political persecution" and said he doesn't expect a fair trial Supporters waving US flags have gathered outside Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where he has been staying Longtime ally Sen. Lindsey Graham called the indictment "a shocking and dangerous day for rule of law in America" Democrats say the indictment proves that no one is above the law. There has been no statement yet from US President Joe Biden
"From the time I came down the golden escalator at Trump Tower, and even before I was sworn in as your President of the United States, the Radical Left Democrats -- the enemy of the hard-working men and women of this Country -- have been engaged in a Witch-Hunt to destroy the Make America Great Again movement," Trump said in a subsequent statement. "Weaponizing our justice system to punish a political opponent, who just so happens to be a President of the United States and by far the leading Republican candidate for President, has never happened before. Ever."
