Law expert: Trump indictment timeline could drag on for a long time

HAMDEN, CT (WFSB) - It could be some time before the country learns how a hush money case that led to criminal charges for a former president is resolved.

A Manhattan grand jury indicted Donald Trump on Thursday, which marked the first time in U.S. history that a former president faces criminal charges.

Experts told Channel 3 that the process will be long, but people could see new developments soon as an arraignment is scheduled to happen this coming Tuesday.

When that happens, the exact charges that Trump faces will be revealed. As of Friday, the indictment remained sealed.

He is going to courthouse in New York and into a booking area to get fingerprinting and photographs.

Former Prosecutor and Attorney Chris Mattei says it’s possible that Former President Donald Trump will also be handcuffed, but every court has its own policies.

Mattei says, “He’ll be in the courtroom before a judge and enter a not guilty plea and then the court will set a schedule for trial.”

Mattei has a lot of experience in criminal matters and expects the arraignment to go as other except that the former President will have a secret service detail with him.

There will also be a lot of cameras, certainly on the steps of the courthouse.

It has been revealed that the investigation and indictment stemmed from circumstances that surrounded an alleged “hush money” payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016.

Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen has already served time in federal prison because of that payment.

Trump continues to deny any wrongdoing.

In a statement, he called the indictment “political persecution and election interference at the highest levels in history.”

Attorney John Pavia spoke more about the indictment:

He said he will still run for president in 2024, and even a conviction would not disqualify him. In the U.S., a convicted felon can not vote for president, but the person can be elected president.

Quinnipiac University law professor William Dunlap said the timeline could drag on for quite awhile and it could be a long time before the case is resolved.

“I think there will be a lot of sidebar play. [It may be] months, maybe even years before a case gets brought to trial, if it ever gets brought to trial,” Dunlap said.

The indictment received mixed reactions amongst people and lawmakers in Connecticut.

Connecticut Senate President Martin Looney and Majority Leader Bob Duff, both Democrats, released a joint statement.

“We are not surprised that Donald Trump, who openly flaunted the rule of law and disdained our legal institutions, has now been indicted,” Looney and Duff said. “We will be following the facts of the case closely and hope justice will be served.”

The chairman of Connecticut’s Republican party posted a statement to social media.

“The unprecedented indictment of former President Donald J. Trump is a troubling harbinger, opening a new frontier in the weaponization of government and political persecution by the far-left,” said Ben Proto, CT GOP chairman.

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