Courtroom sketches capture former President Donald Trump's arraignment after cameras, phones, and electronics were banned at the start of the proceedings
Lauren Frias
- Trump appeared in court for his arraignment on Tuesday.
- Three courtroom sketch artists captured scenes from inside the Manhattan courtroom where it happened.
Courtroom sketches captured the arraignment of former President Donald Trump after cameras, phones, and electronics were banned at the start of the proceedings on Tuesday.
Trump is the first current or former US president to ever face criminal charges. He was arrested on Tuesday afternoon following his Thursday indictment.
Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The charges were related to a yearslong investigation into Trump's role in a $130,000 election-eve hush-money payment made by his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to the porn star Stormy Daniels, back in 2016.
Though cameras swarmed outside the Manhattan courtroom where Trump was arraigned, public access to the hearing was limited.
Reporters for a few publications were let in through the doors, but they were asked to leave shortly after 2 p.m., before proceedings kicked off.
Source: Insider
Only 3 courtroom sketch artists remained in the room to document Trump's day in court.
Ahead of the hearing, Merchan banned the use of all electronic devices including cell phones and laptops.
Prosecutors accused Trump and others of an "unlawful scheme" by paying off Stormy Daniels to suppress negative information about him during the 2016 election, per Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Bragg spoke about the nearly three dozen felony charges leveled against Trump during a news conference after the hearing.
"That is exactly what this case is about: 34 false statements made to cover up other crimes," Bragg said. "These are felony crimes in New York state no matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct."
Source: Insider, Manhattan District Attorney
Trump only spoke 9 words throughout the arraignment. The first 2 were "Not guilty."
Trump did not smile and hardly spoke during the hearing, and gave single-word answers to questions from Merchan, Insider's Azmi Haroun and Jacob Shamsian reported.
Source: Insider
New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan recognized the unprecedented nature of Trump's indictment.
"That this indictment involves a matter of monumental significance cannot possibly be disputed," Merchan wrote in a court order on Monday.
"Never in the history of the United States has a sitting or past President been indicted on criminal charges," Merchan added.
Source: Insider
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