Experts weigh in on Trump's postponed grand jury proceedings
The Manhattan District Attorney canceled grand jury proceedings set for Wednesday, delaying a possible indictment vote against former President Donald Trump.
District Attorney Alvin Bragg suddenly told jurors to stay home and to stand by for Thursday.
"This doesn't shock me especially in a case like this where every ‘i’ and every ‘t’ needs to be addressed," said Jeremy Saland, a former assistant district attorney in Manhattan who worked under legendary former Manhattan DA, Robert Morgenthau.
The grand jury will decide if Trump should be indicted in connection with hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Saland said there could be multiple reasons why the DA canceled Wednesday’s session.
FILE - US President Donald Trump looks on before delivering a speech during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting on Jan. 26, 2018, in Davos, eastern Switzerland. (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
"There could be testimony that the people weren't able to secure for today, evidence that wasn't able to be brought before the grand jury," Saland speculated.
There are 23 grand jurors and prosecutors need 12 to agree there is enough evidence showing the former president committed crimes.
Trump has always vehemently denied the allegations, calling the case politically motivated.
Attorney Karen Agnifilo, who served as the chief assistant district attorney under DA Cy Vance, believes a likely scenario is secret service, other law enforcement, the DA's office and Trump's lawyers are negotiating a surrender date if Trump is indicted and how the surrender would happen.
"It could leak out and cause a considerable security concern for both Donald Trump as well as for people who are in New York or other places because he's already calling for, you know, his supporters to protest," Agnifilo told FOX 5 New York.
"Assuming that there is an indictment, they want to be prepared to move this forward quickly," she added.