Easy Prediction - Trump will not testify

[ThoughtCriminal]

There is no way he is going to let himself be questioned. It would be legal suicide.

[emulatorloo]

1. He'd love to bloviate and rant, but Lawyers would never put him on the stand.

[Ocelot II]

2. His lawyers - if he has any left - would wrap him in duct tape if they had to

in order to keep him from testifying.

[Beachnutt]

3. Will Pence testify ?

He was one of 12 star witnesses

[Ocelot II]

5. If they need him they'll subpoena him.

[Kennah]

12. What if he pleads the Fifth?

[Ocelot II]

14. Pence has very little legal exposure; he has no reason to do it.

And if he did, it would be extremely detrimental to his presidential run (not that that's going anywhere).

[Kennah]

16. Prevent MAGAts from killing him?

[VMA131Marine]

18. In that event ...

I’m sure Pence would be granted limited immunity in order to get his testimony. You can’t invoke the 5A if you have a grant of immunity.

[Kennah]

27. Won't that require an admission of wrongdoing?

[VMA131Marine]

28. No, not at all.

Granting immunity in return for testimony is quite common.

[Kennah]

29. Prosecutor will definitely need to get a note from Mother

[brooklynite]

20. Why would he...and why would he be called?

He had no involvement in the documents situation.

[Ocelot II]

26. I think they are referring to the 1/6 case, since Pence had nothing to do

with the documents case. He could be a witness in a 1/6 trial but he has little or no legal exposure in that matter either.

[allegorical oracle]

4. After Tuesday, will he even have to show up? Don't recall the precise charges in Alex Jones's case,

but he was absent most of the time.

[Ocelot II]

7. Alex Jones' trial was a civil trial. You don't have to attend a civil trial

(although not showing up is usually a bad idea). TFG didn't attend the E. Jean Carroll trial. But a criminal trial is a different thing. In federal court you have to make an initial appearance, and then under some circumstances you can waive your attendance.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcrmp/rule_43

Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 43. Defendant's Presence

(a) When Required. Unless this rule, Rule 5, or Rule 10 provides otherwise, the defendant must be present at:

(1) the initial appearance, the initial arraignment, and the plea;

(2) every trial stage, including jury impanelment and the return of the verdict; and

(3) sentencing.

(b) When Not Required. A defendant need not be present under any of the following circumstances:

(1) Organizational Defendant. The defendant is an organization represented by counsel who is present.

(2) Misdemeanor Offense. The offense is punishable by fine or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, and with the defendant's written consent, the court permits arraignment, plea, trial, and sentencing to occur by video teleconferencing or in the defendant's absence.

(3) Conference or Hearing on a Legal Question. The proceeding involves only a conference or hearing on a question of law.

(4) Sentence Correction. The proceeding involves the correction or reduction of sentence under Rule 35 or 18 U.S.C. §3582 (c).

(c) Waiving Continued Presence.

(1) In General. A defendant who was initially present at trial, or who had pleaded guilty or nolo contendere, waives the right to be present under the following circumstances:

(A) when the defendant is voluntarily absent after the trial has begun, regardless of whether the court informed the defendant of an obligation to remain during trial;

(B) in a noncapital case, when the defendant is voluntarily absent during sentencing; or

(C) when the court warns the defendant that it will remove the defendant from the courtroom for disruptive behavior, but the defendant persists in conduct that justifies removal from the courtroom.

(2) Waiver's Effect. If the defendant waives the right to be present, the trial may proceed to completion, including the verdict's return and sentencing, during the defendant's absence.

[allegorical oracle]

13. Thanks -- couldn't recall whether it was civil or not. Well, Alex wasn't civil.... nt

[C_U_L8R]

6. I'm curious what his defense could be.

The evidence is over-whelming.

[ThoughtCriminal]

10. I'm guessing they will bring in some RW legal "Experts"

who will Yargle Bargle. Tons of evidence and witness challenges and appeals to delay as much as possible into the election season so that the political implications become the primary discussion rather then the facts in the case.

The whole, it's hoax that I had any of the documents, which I had the right to have, and mentally declassified, and may have been planted by a witch-hunt by deep-state FBI liberals, is not likely to be an effective strategy.

At this stage, he probably thinks armed revolt by the gravy-seal brigades is his best bet. Or at a minimum, not very clever attempts at witness and jury intimidation.

[patricia92243]

15. "I didn't do it." This is South Florida and he will be found innocent. I would bet money on it.

[Tetrachloride]

8. During testimony, Trumpy will be the essence of grace. In fact, he will sing Amazing Grace, bring

cheese and crackers, shed a tear for dead wife Ivana.

or

his lawyers will give him tranquilizers. MTG will give massages. Melania will sit in the back row.

[tulipsandroses]

9. I think he will take a plea deal. Something that lets him avoid jail time

House arrest and heavy fines.

[Ocelot II]

11. That would require an allocution before the court in which he admits

to every element of the crimes charged. I don't see him doing that. Even an Alford plea (where the defendant maintains his innocence but acknowledges that the facts are sufficient that a jury could find him guilty) would be too much for him to stomach.

[tulipsandroses]

17. As things progress and he realizes, there's no way out, I think he will

Then eventually have zoom rally and tell his cult members he was railroaded, his lawyers told him to plea, the FBI set him up and whatever nonsense he comes up with. They will believe whatever he says.

[VMA131Marine]

21. I don't think DOJ will let him plea

to lesser charges once the trial has started. But, Trump would be smart to make a plea deal before then … which is why he won’t.

[Shermann]

19. It would be interesting to ask for clarification on some of the statements made to the media

Tell us more about this standing order to declassify information.

*chirp chirp*

He'd have to take the Sarah Sanders route and say it wasn't based on anything.

[Skittles]

22. WHEN has he ever listened to his lawyer

the man simply does not know how to STFU

[Wounded Bear]

23. His lawyers won't want him to, but I'd love to see Jack Smith Col Jessup his ass...

[NowISeetheLight]

24. Sketches

Assuming they won't televise is, I can't wait to see the courtroom sketches of Trump moping.

[UTUSN]

25. Uh, his whole m.o. is legal suicide