So far, the sights in and around 100 Center Street, the criminal court’s main building, have been spectacular, to say the least.
The area is closed to pedestrians and traffic due to security concerns. On Monday, a MAGA rally and a large crowd of reporters took over a park across the street where court workers eat lunch on good days.
in the same park Friday, A man committed suicide by self-immolation What the police believe Political statements that do not seem direct This led to a trial. he was there He was hospitalized in critical condition.
Court officials and police teams in tactical gear descended on the street, blocking pedestrian traffic from the courthouse’s main entrance.
Many lawyers and others fear the hurdles and extra hassle that come with large-scale courtroom events, which can be difficult for everyone. To get where you need to go.
“It’s a nuisance every time something serious comes up in court,” said Norman Williams, a defense attorney not involved in Trump’s case.
Anyone attending the trial must be searched in the lobby and at the 15th floor main entrance by New York State court officers responsible for security in and around the courthouse. The perimeter of the building is surrounded by a maze of metal barricades, creating confusion as to which areas can be accessed.
The New York Police Department has a specialized unit that responds to demonstrations and other large events, with many officers deployed and additional units on standby nearby. Secret Service protection is for Trump.
manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is involved in a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the final stages of the 2016 presidential campaign to keep her quiet about an alleged sexual relationship with the then-married Trump. Trump was indicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Many years ago. Mr. Trump has maintained his innocence.
Jury selection began Monday and continued Tuesday, with seven jurors sworn in. The court was closed on Wednesday but reopened on Thursday, and after some adjustments, the day ended with 12 jurors and one alternate selected.Selection by judges The session adjourned Friday with the election of five additional alternates, with opening statements scheduled for Monday.
While other cases before the court over the years have received significant attention, none are as nationally and historically significant as this one.
In early 2020, prominent film producer Harvey Weinstein was tried and found guilty of sexual assault. In late 2022, Trump’s company was convicted of tax evasion. Actor Alec Baldwin’s assault case over a parking dispute in 2019 led to a plea deal, and actor Jonathan Majors was sentenced in December. Domestic violence incident.
A group of black and Latino teenagers who became famous The “Central Park Five” were convicted and later acquitted in the same courtroom in a building across the street. It is related to the 1989 rape of a female jogger, which heightened tensions over crime and discrimination in the country. (Trump was buying newspaper ads at the time saying New York should introduce the death penalty.)
The defendants served time in prison and were legally exonerated in 2002 after DNA tests linked the assault to a convicted sex offender. Their civil rights lawsuit was settled with the city paying $41 million.
Another case, the 1979 kidnapping and murder of 6-year-old Etan Patz, has puzzled detectives for decades, until the 2017 conviction of a former deli worker who confessed to the crime. This led to a dramatic conclusion in court.
For some court veterans, the 2011 case in which Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, was arrested and the prosecution was dropped is particularly relevant.
Mr. Strauss-Kahn was poised to become the next president of France when he was dragged from a plane by police at Kennedy International Airport and arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a Manhattan hotel maid. .
Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s attorney, Benjamin Brafman, said he had no word on Mr. Strass-Kahn’s other lawsuits. Mr. Strauss-Kahn caused such scenes with the involvement of high-profile defendants when he appeared in court for several appearances before his case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence and he was allowed to return to France. .
“I was surprised by the number of media people who were actually out in front of the building,” Brafman said, adding that it was “impossible to navigate” the surrounding streets.
Another incident caused by Brahman In the courthouse across the street, several New York Supreme Court criminal judges are also seated, whose case included the 1999 arrest of performer and business executive Sean Combs. A brawl breaks out at Club New York. Combs was acquitted of gun possession and bribery charges in 2001 after a trial that drew many fans and members of the press outside the courthouse.
Search warrants were recently executed at Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami in connection with a federal investigation, and he is facing lawsuits by women accusing him of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.
The 17-story Art Deco courthouse at 100 Center Street, with a two-story marble lobby, was built between 1938 and 1941 and has been featured in movies and television dramas. Tourists often enter the building, and night court arraignments can be slow-moving and routine until 1 a.m.
The building, commonly referred to as the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, houses criminal courts that handle misdemeanors and other offenses, as well as the New York County Supreme Court Criminal Glossary, where felony cases like Mr. Trump’s are filed. (Some criminal courtrooms are located in a mixed-use building at 111 Center Street.)
As Mr. Trump and potential jurors learned last week when court officials were struck by early spring temperatures that their heating systems couldn’t control, the building is still in its original state, in all its decorations and features.
Machan said even small adjustments to the 15th-floor courtroom could make it too hot to be comfortable. He said Friday that someone was working to make the weather less cold.
Trump’s lawsuit includes payments made to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, by former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen. In addition to Daniels, Karen McDougal, the former Playboy model who received hush money over her alleged affair, is also believed to be a former member of the Trump administration and the National Enquirer, who reportedly worked on the effort to prevent bad publicity. He is expected to testify along with executives. About Trump.
Charles Solomon, a former judge who oversaw the Combs trial, said Marchand’s most important priority in the Trump case was protecting the integrity of the jury process. At Combs’ trial, Solomon said he staggered the arrival times of jurors and others involved in the case to avoid contact between jurors and to avoid the influx of his fans.
“I made sure there was no contact,” Solomon said.
He also said it was important to strengthen court staff. “We need more police in the courtroom,” Solomon said, adding that without adequate security, someone who loses their liberty “could run up and punch Mr. Trump in the head.” added. A buffer between those involved in the incident and the observer.
A woman who worked in another Queens courthouse attended Trump’s civil trial on October 18 and attempted to rush down the aisle to speak to Trump during his testimony. She was intercepted by court officials and arrested.
Machan ruled that the names of the jurors would not be released. In court, they are identified by an assigned number.
Since Trump was indicted last year, he and his team entered the court through the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. They take a non-public elevator to the 15th floor, where he can discreetly get to court.
Mr. Bragg recently wrote a letter to staff regarding procedures for employees and visitors. “I would like to assure you that we will do everything in our power to support you during this period and ensure that your work continues as uninterrupted as possible,” he wrote.
Al Baker, a spokesman for the New York state court system, said in a statement that the building “will remain fully open to serve the public in all aspects.”
“Our court staff, judges, and non-judicial stakeholders fully understand their role in maintaining the smooth operation of Manhattan Criminal Court, regardless of the nature or scope of ongoing litigation. ,” Baker said. “They work together every day to ensure that everyone always receives meaningful justice.”
New York City Police Department Deputy Commissioner James N. McCarthy, commander of the Southern Manhattan Patrol, said the perimeter of the courtroom is well covered and a large number of personnel will be on hand.
“In the next few minutes, we will be assembling a large contingent to provide all necessary support for crowd control,” McCarthy said, adding that “frozen zones” would be established from time to time to suspend access to the area. added.
NYPD Deputy Director of Intelligence John Hurt said the response plan is similar to how the department handled the crowds that gathered in the city after the 2016 election “in terms of the amount of resources and the amount of attention.” .
Hart said his department also monitors threats, and while nothing has come up specifically related to a court case, “I wouldn’t be shocked if people were trying to do something.”
“We’re probably going to see a clear uptick in the direction of Prosecutor Bragg and the jury in general,” Hart said. “Our main goal is simply to get to the root of the threat and keep everyone safe.”
