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(CNN) Over a week ago, former President Donald Trump predicted he would be arrested in a New York criminal case, and he was wrong.
His statement led to a flurry of speculation about the state of a Manhattan grand jury investigating Trump’s role in a plot to pay hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
But so far no lawsuit has been filed by the district attorney’s office, and a grand jury is not expected to consider Trump’s case again this week. It plans to hear unrelated cases, sources said.
Grand jury procedures are confidential and jurors may be recalled by prosecutors at any time.
Here’s the current state of the investigation and the questions that still loom.
Did Trump know anything when he predicted he would be indicted?
no. Trump posted on social media predicting that he would be arrested last Tuesday and called on his supporters to protest.
Trump’s comments may be based on reports about security preparations law enforcement is making in New York if he is indicted.
He continues to stand against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and other prosecutors investigating him in Washington, D.C. and Georgia. He warned last week that his arrest would lead to “potential death and destruction” and “could be devastating for our country.”
“The new weapon that uncontrolled and disorderly Democrats are using to cheat in elections is criminally prosecuting candidates,” Trump said Saturday at a rally in Waco, Texas. rice field.
What is the position of the investigation?
A grand jury is not expected to meet on the hush-money case for the rest of this week.
NBC News first reported this week that the grand jury will not meet again on the Trump case.
Bragg accused former Trump attorney and fixer Michael Cohen of $130,000 in payments to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, accusing him of being silent about his alleged relationship with Trump a decade ago. Trump is being investigated for refunds. Trump denies the allegations.
With a grand jury due until June, prosecutors don’t have a hard deadline to close the case quickly.
Do you want to call more witnesses?
The district attorney’s investigation appears to be coming to an end following the March 20 testimony from Robert Costello, who testified on behalf of Trump last week in an attempt to undermine Cohen, a key witness for the prosecution. rice field.
But CNN and others reported last week that Bragg was considering calling at least one more witness before closing the investigation.
On Monday afternoon, former National Enquirer issuer David Pecker walked in and out of a Manhattan courthouse building. He played a central role in the hush payment scheme and helped negotiate payments as the then-Chairman of American Media. AMI has entered into a non-prosecution agreement with prosecutors.
Pecker’s testimony suggests that the district attorney’s office may have felt the need to refute Costello’s testimony, which claimed that Cohen paid Daniels himself.
It is not yet clear if any more witnesses will be called as the proceedings will be conducted behind closed doors.
How are indictments voted?
To indict Trump, a grand jury majority must agree with prosecutors to indict Trump. In a grand jury, the standard of evidence is lower than in a trial jury, and decisions need not be unanimous.
If Trump is indicted, the indictment is expected to be sealed and filed. Trump’s lawyers could then be notified and arrangements made for Trump to travel to New York to surrender and hear the charges.
This would be a historic indictment. Neither the current nor the former president has been charged with a crime.
What if Trump is indicted?
Security preparations have been underway among multiple law enforcement agencies for several weeks over how security for a potential Trump indictment will be handled in Manhattan.
It’s not yet clear how the public will find out about the indictments — the district attorney may announce them, or Trump may be the first to learn through his social media if he is notified of the indictments. do not have.
What Bragg made clear is that the public will know what happens. He promised to publicly state whether Trump will be indicted once the investigation is over.
What about other surveys?
They are still going on and could lead to further legal troubles for Trump.
A federal judge recently testified before a grand jury against former Vice President Mike Pence about conversations he had with Trump by January 6, 2021, as part of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s January 6 investigation. ordered to
But the judge said he could decline to answer questions related to his actions on Jan. 6, when Pence was presiding over the Senate for approval of the 2020 presidential election itself. .
Still, the ruling is a major victory for Smith and the latest in a string of legal wins for the special counsel seeking testimony from Trump’s current and former aides.
Last week, Trump’s lead defense attorney, Evan Corcoran, appeared before a federal grand jury and accused Smith of handling classified documents at Mar-a-Lago after Trump’s unsuccessful attempt to block Smith’s testimony. He was expected to answer questions in his investigation.
In addition to the special counsel’s string of investigations, a special grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, closed an investigation into an attempt to overturn the 2020 election earlier this year. Fulton County District Attorney Fanny Willis has suggested that charges could be filed as early as this spring.
This story has been updated with additional details.
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