Trump's New York hush money trial kicks off with jury selection

WASHINGTON, US - APRIL 15, 2024: Ex-President Donald Trump's historic New York state trial on hush money charges began Monday with jury selection, marking the first time a former US president stands trial on criminal charges after leaving office. The trial, which is centered on allegations of falsifying business records, was originally set to begin in March, but New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan granted Trump a 30-day delay. Merchan rejected another attempt to postpone the proceedings further, and an appeals court turned down three requests to do so last week. Trump will be required to be present for the trial's duration, which could last roughly two months. The presumptive Republican president nominee has sought to stall each of the cases against him, including the hush money case, ahead of November's general election where he is all but certain to compete against President Joe Biden in a 2020 rematch. Prosecutors with District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office allege that Trump falsified his company’s records to conceal the true nature of hush money payments. They include a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels during the run-up to the 2016 presidential election meant to suppress her claims that they had an extramarital affair years earlier. The $130,000 hush money payment was allegedly filtered through the former president's businesses to hide the true nature of the payment, and given to his then-attorney Michael Cohen who paid Daniels in October 2016. The election took place the following month. (Footage by Selcuk Acar /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)