Trump will be grilled about sexual abuse and fraud if he testifies, Manhattan prosecutors say

Former presidentDonald Trump will be requested about his earlier misconduct and legal acts — together with cases of sexual abuse and fraud — if he takes the stand at his historic hush cash trial.

Mr Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying enterprise information associated to funds made to hide an alleged affair forward of the 2016 election. He has pleaded not responsible to all fees. This is the first criminal trial of a former or sitting president.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg revealed a listing that features “all misconduct and criminal acts of the defendant not charged in the indictment” which his workplace “intend to use at trial to impeach the credibility of” Mr Trump, ought to he testify, in accordance with a newly launched courtroom submitting.

The record contains earlier lawsuits involving the previous president, together with the case during which he was discovered answerable for sexual abuse and defamation of former Elle columnist E Jean Carroll.

Next to the declare of “sexual abuse,” for instance, the doc states the related information of the case: “Defendant sexually abused E Jean Carroll. Jury awarded the plaintiff $2,020,000 in compensatory and punitive damages on her sexual abuse claim.”

The identical is true of the civil fraud trial, during which Mr Trump, his sons, and a few of his entities have been discovered answerable for illegally inflating the worth of firm belongings. These instances are related, on their face, as they each contain allegations of falsifying enterprise information or conspiracy to take action.

“Defendant repeatedly and persistently falsified business records, conspired to falsify business records, issued false financial statements, conspired to issue false financial statements, and conspired to commit insurance fraud by fraudulently misstating the value of his assets for economic benefit—including the Trump Tower Triplex,” the submitting says.

Should he testify, questions about these issues might equip the jurors, who might not have been following the previous president’s different authorized battles, with factual data about Mr Trump.

So, these information might, as Mr Bragg says, name into query his credibility.

Presenting the jury with particulars about the lawsuits and the truth that he has been answerable for different fees earlier than, might paint a sure image of Mr Trump and his regard for the regulation.

These particulars might are available sharp distinction with feedback Mr Trump has made about earlier trials — like calling them a “witch hunt” — in addition to the hush cash trial. On the trial’s first day, Mr Trump denounced the case as “an assault on America.”

The submitting, colloquially often called the a “Sandoval Notice”, is frequent in legal instances during which the defendant has a historical past of misconduct or legal acts and plans to testify.

Prosecutors requested Judge Juan Merchan to carry a Sandoval listening to to find out the scope of what earlier courtroom judgements and information of these instances they will ask the previous president throughout cross-examination.

Mr Trump mentioned final week that he plans to testify at the hush money trial.

“Yeah, I would testify, absolutely,” he mentioned in Florida. “That’s not a trial. That’s a scam.”

Jury choice continues to be underway; seven of 18 jurors have been picked so far.