KALAMAZOO, Mich. – A law professor from Western Michigan University is expecting former president Donald Trump to arrive in New York City and go through the booking process on Monday.
Professor Michael McDaniel is a constitutional law professor at WMU, and he previously worked for homeland defense and the pentagon.
He says regardless of politics, the indictment is an example of the criminal justice system working as it’s supposed to.
“If he is acquitted, that’s the criminal justice system working as it’s supposed to work,” McDaniel says. “If he’s convicted, that’s the criminal justice system working as it’s supposed to work.”
As Trump served as the symbol of the executive branch of government, McDaniel says he is entitled to protection from the civil service.
So, when the former president surrenders, he will likely get his fingerprints and mug shot taken. But McDaniel believes he likely won’t need to put up bail or be put in handcuffs or a jumpsuit.
“I doubt very much there’ll be any sort of perp walk. There’s no reason for that,” he says. “Why there’s no reason is because he’s not a flight risk. You know, he’s running for president of the United States. He announced that, so he’s not going to flee to another country, and he’s not going to be charged with a violent crime.”
McDaniel adds that he expects this to go to a jury trial, and he doesn’t expect either side to take a plea bargain.
“No matter what your politics, let’s remember that whether it’s Richard Nixon, Spiro Agnew, whoever other political figure that was charged with a crime, or could have been charged with a crime, it just proves that the rule of law applies to all of us,” he says.
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