Former President Donald Trump was indicted on 37 counts in a Miami federal court on Monday, marking the first time a former president has been charged with a federal crime and appeared in court. The judge ordered that no photography or electronic devices be used in the courtroom during the trial, and the outside world can only be informed of the scene through drawings by sketch artists. A courtroom sketch showed Trump sitting with defense lawyers and close aide Walt Nauta.
Nota was named by prosecutors in the indictment as an accomplice in helping Trump hide classified documents.
According to media reporters in the courtroom, Trump clasped his hands as he entered the courtroom.
Another courtroom sketch shows Trump, 76, standing in the courtroom and looking at the magistrate judge presiding over the proceedings, flanked by defense attorneys Todd Blanche and Chris Kise. Ms. Nota’s defense attorney, Stanley Woodward, was also in the courtroom.
Jack Smith, the special prosecutor appointed by the Justice Department in the case, sat in the front row of the hearing before magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, while Trump sat with defense lawyers just feet away from each other. Trump once called Smith a “deranged psycho.”
After hearing about 20 minutes of arguments between prosecutors and Trump’s defense lawyers, the judge ruled that Trump could not discuss the “Secret Door” case with witnesses, including Tano. The judge also ruled that Trump is free without bail, can keep his passport and can travel.
Earlier on the 13th, Trump was arrested and fingerprinted in accordance with the procedure, but the marshals did not put Trump in handcuffs, nor did they take a mug shot. The check-in process upon arrival at the court was completed around 2:30 a.m.
Due to the limited number of seats in the public gallery, the court opened the seats by drawing lots. Lazaro Ecenarro, 48, a Trump supporter who was standing in line outside the courthouse on Monday, was lucky enough to draw a seat. According to media reports, in addition to Essenaro, eight other citizens drew seats.
In an interview with USA Today after the court hearing, Eisenaro said he felt Trump had been treated unfairly. He said he felt Trump had been “bullied by the government.”
Raj Abhyanker, a 47-year-old California lawyer, was traveling with his daughter to a high school basketball camp in southern Florida when he learned that Trump would be in court in Miami and got in line a day early to win a seat.
