Written by: Sam Orlando
New York, NY - Former President Donald Trump has been indicted by a New York Grand Jury on more than 30 criminal charges related to hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels, as reported by CNN. All eyes are now on Judge Juan Merchan, an acting justice with the New York State Supreme Court since 2009, who will be tasked with overseeing the biggest case ever tried in the Manhattan criminal court. In fact, he will be overseeing what may be the most significant criminal trial in the history of the United States.
Judge Merchan has a background in law, having studied at Baruch College and Hofstra University School of Law, and began his legal career as a Manhattan assistant district attorney in 1994. He has a track record of holding defendants accountable and demonstrating impartiality, as seen in his handling of the tax fraud trial of the Trump Organization and the trial of the organization's longtime CFO Allen Weisselberg last year. In both cases, Judge Merchan handed down the highest possible fines and criticized the defendants' actions.
Trump has already begun attacking Judge Merchan on his new Truth Social platform, accusing him of being handpicked by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and claiming he “HATES ME.” However, Merchan's past rulings demonstrate his commitment to upholding the law and delivering justice in accordance with his duty as a judge.
Former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. has expressed concerns about Trump's potential behavior during the trial, saying, "I think it’s wise to keep a very tight rein on the parties and the lawyers themselves, except Merchan can’t control what the public says. What he can in some ways control what the party’s lawyers say and impose penalties for violating his order."
Vance believes that Judge Merchan's reputation for fairness and impartiality will ensure that the trial is conducted with diligence and in accordance with the law.
The former president is expected to be arraigned before Judge Merchan next Tuesday at 2:15 pm, though the specific charges he faces are not yet known. It remains to be seen how this unprecedented case will play out, but one thing is certain: Judge Merchan has now become one of the most significant legal figures in American history.
Breaking Through reporters will be on the scene for Trump's indictment on Tuesday, and we will bring you updates through the day and as this case unfolds going forward.
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