Donald Trump’s hush money trial was set to begin Monday, here’s what’s happening instead

Key developments that led to postponement of Donald Trump's hush money trial

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Donald Trump's hotly-anticipated first criminal trial was scheduled to commence on Monday, March 25. However, proceedings took an unexpected turn as his legal team seized the opportunity to advocate for a significant postponement or even a dismissal of the charges altogether. Presiding over the pre-trial hearing in New York is Judge Juan Merchan, who convened to address the discovery complications that precipitated the trial's deferment on charges instigated by the Manhattan district attorney. These charges revolve around the alleged falsification of business documents linked to reimbursing Michael Cohen for hush-money payments, apparently designed to conceal an alleged affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Trump, who vehemently asserts his innocence, faces a daunting total of 34 counts. If proceedings proceed as speculated in April, it would mark the onset of Trump's first criminal trial – possibly the sole one preceding the pivotal November election. Here's what you must know ahead of the trial:

Trial postponement and discovery issues

Following the revelation of over 100,000 new documents by the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Monday's hearing was ordered by Judge Merchan. These documents, stemming from the 2018 prosecution of Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen, a pivotal figure in the case, led to the trial's postponement. Trump's legal team contends that this influx of information holds potentially exculpatory evidence for the former president, necessitating a comprehensive 90-day review period. This delay aligns with Trump's overarching strategy to defer all four criminal trials until after the pivotal November election. Judge Merchan, in his directive issued on March 15, delineated a 30-day extension, pushing the earliest trial date to April 15. Highlighting the scope of the hearing, Merchan clarified that it would solely address the document disclosure from the Southern District of New York, eschewing other contentious issues raised by Trump's lawyers, such as concerns about a Stormy Daniels documentary release potentially prejudicing the jury pool.

Document disclosure and review

At the heart of the legal labyrinth lies a trove of documents tracing back to the 2018 federal scrutiny into Cohen, which culminated in charges encompassing campaign finance violations and tax evasion. Most of the documents comprise records pivotal to securing search warrants for Cohen's devices and residences, notably including bank records. Alongside these, the US attorney's office divulged a staggering 30,000 pages intertwined with documents seized from five iPhones and email accounts linked to Cohen. Furthermore, prosecutors unveiled FBI interview notes from the probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller - obtained via the Freedom of Information Act litigation - which the office received as late as December. This flood of information, exceeding 200,000 pages, eventually led to the delay in proceedings. 

Blame game over document delay

In the legal tussle preceding Trump's trial, both his attorneys and prosecutors are sparring over the delayed disclosure of tens of thousands of documents by the US attorney's office. Trump's team alleges the district attorney hid exculpatory evidence until a January subpoena, while prosecutors blame Trump's attorneys for a six-month delay in raising concerns. Prosecutors asserted, "The belated nature of the recent productions is entirely a result of the defendant’s own inexplicable and strategic delay in identifying perceived deficiencies in the People’s disclosures and pursuing independent means to obtain that evidence."

Long shot bid to dismiss indictment

Trump's endeavor to dismiss the indictment appears to be a long shot, especially considering Judge Merchan's previous rejections of similar motions for dismissal. However, Monday's proceedings could offer insights into Merchan's stance on the adequacy of the delay to accommodate the deluge of new documents, potentially hinting at his willingness to curtail certain testimonies.

Stormy Daniels testimony greenlit

Judge Merchan has already affirmed his intent to permit Michael Cohen's testimony, rebuffing Trump's bid to bar it based on credibility concerns. Additionally, he greenlit Stormy Daniels' testimony, deeming her integral to the case's timeline. With a projected six-week trial duration, Trump would find himself in the courtroom four days a week, excluding Wednesdays, according to CNN.