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The U.S. Secret Service reportedly held meetings with New York jail authorities in preparation for a potential conviction in the hush-money case involving former President Donald Trump.
As the Manhattan trial neared its conclusion this week with the jury’s deliberations and closing statements, a reliable source informed CBS News that similar arrangements were being made.
According to the story, the New York Times reported that if Trump is imprisoned for any length of time, prison officers will be in charge of defending any Secret Service members assigned to protect him.
In reaction to the report, Trump’s supporters vented their fury, denouncing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case and highlighting the fact that Trump is the presumptive GOP nominee for president.
Political analyst Robby Starbuck stated on X that “today the government is trying to throw the leading candidate for president in prison on bogus charges in a city stacked with far left jurors.”
“DC Draino,” also known as social media personality Rogan O’Handley, declared, “If Biden puts Trump in jail, Trump will win in a landslide we haven’t [seen] since Reagan.”
The presiding judge in New York would set up a second hearing to decide on a penalty if Trump is found guilty. There’s a chance he won’t go to jail; community service or probation could be his options.
Judge Juan Merchan of Manhattan Criminal Court will sentence Trump, if the jury finds him guilty of any of the 34 felony counts, ranging from a fine of up to $5,000 to four years in prison.
This will probably happen in a few weeks, though Trump will almost certainly file an appeal following a conviction, which could prolong the case for months.
According to earlier reports from the New York Times, which cited people familiar with the preparations, the Secret Service has been getting ready for the remote chance that Trump may be imprisoned since before the trial started. It is said that Secret Service agents will be present at the institution around the clock to safeguard Trump, who is expected to be detained in a section that is off-limits to other prisoners.
Following an 11-hour court session on Tuesday, when prosecutors and Trump’s attorneys made their closing arguments to conclude the six-week trial, the jury deliberated on Wednesday.
Prosecutors charged Trump in March 2023 with falsely classifying business records as legal expenses. The accusations were that the payments were intended to compensate Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, for the $130,000.
Cohen allegedly paid Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, to keep quiet about her alleged relationship with Trump in 2006.
In New York, fabricating company records is a misdemeanor; nonetheless, the prosecution accused Trump of felonies, arguing that his actions were motivated by the desire to commit or hide another felony, such as unlawfully plotting to sway the 2016 election.
In addition to denying the claims of an affair with Daniels, Trump has entered a not-guilty plea to the accusations and repeatedly charged, without providing proof, that Merchan and the prosecution were working for Biden to undermine Trump’s prospects of winning in November.
A noted legal analyst told a CNN panel on Tuesday as closing arguments were being made in former President Donald Trump’s so-called ‘hush money’ case that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecutors fell “way short” of proving guilt.
“They fell way short,” defense attorney Randy Zelin told CNN’s Kate Bolduan.
“Let’s start with reasonable doubt. What is reasonable doubt? And it’s not simply a doubt based upon reason. Any time a human being needs to make an important decision in life, if you have enough information, for example, doctor says you need open-heart surgery, ‘Doc, go ahead and schedule. I don’t have a reasonable doubt,”’ Zelin added.
“Conversely, if I say, ‘I appreciate it, but I need a second opinion, I need more information,’ that is having a reasonable doubt. There is reasonable doubt all over this case,” he said.
Zelin continued his criticism of the prosecution, questioning why Trump bodyguard Keith Schiller and former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg did not testify. He also highlighted Michael Cohen’s lack of credibility as a significant flaw in the prosecution’s case.
“He’s a fixer. If the plumber comes to my house to fix my leak, I could be home — that doesn’t mean I know how he’s doing it and what it’s taking to be fixed,” Zelin said.
“Stormy Daniels — let’s hold a pity party for her. Why do we need to know whether or not the former president wore a condom or not? It’s simply about, did the former president know that books, his records, false entries for legal fees — Michael Cohen was his lawyer,” Zelin continued. “Did he intend to cover up the election or to protect his family? It’s everywhere.”