US court begins trial of former President Donald Trump

On April 15 (local time), the criminal trial of Mr. Donald Trump began in New York. Mr. Trump was present at the trial.

This is the historic first trial of a former US president and could be a turning point for the 2024 presidential election in which the Republican candidate is seeking to return to power.

Mr Trump became the first former US president to face criminal court after being accused of paying off a porn star.

Specifically, New York prosecutors have accused the former US President of falsifying records to cover up a $130,000 payment in the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign. The money was allegedly used to buy the silence of adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Mr. Trump denied this relationship.

The trial is expected to last until May 2024. If convicted, Mr. Trump could face prison time, but legal experts say that is unlikely.

Last week, Mr Trump said he would defend himself, a move that was considered "very risky."

According to trial procedure, the selection of 12 jurors and six alternates from the Manhattan resident pool is expected to take about a week, followed by witness testimony.

During the April 15 hearing, Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over Mr. Donald's trial, rejected dozens of potential New York City jury candidates on the grounds that they could not render fair judgment in the case.

The judge asked the prospective jury to set aside any personal biases or attitudes about the defendant or the case, including "political orientation" in this case.