An indictment is simply the bringing of charges against a defendant. It does not determine innocence or guilt. Its validity is decided by an impartial grand jury of 20-25 people chosen through a rigorous jury selection process. They (not the district attorney, in this case, Alvin Bragg) determine, by majority vote, if there is enough evidence to hold the defendant over for trial. It is only at the 12-person jury trial that guilt or innocence is determined by unanimous vote. As you can see, an indictment is much easier to achieve than a trial conviction.
The Donald Trump unsealed indictment came on March 30. It is assumed the charges include felonious business practices regarding the transfer of Trump funds and the utilization of campaign finance funds to pay off porn star Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal and others. These are criminal felonies.
While serious, this case pales in comparison to the other indictments Trump could face on the Jan. 6 insurrection, interference in the Georgia election, the withholding of documents at Mar-a-Lago and the rigging, through false slates of electors, of the Electoral College vote. These cases are far more serious and don’t bode well for the twice-impeached former president.
Guilty or not, can our country withstand another arduous Trump presidency amid such deserved scrutiny and chaos?
Tom Tarosky
West Leechburg