Unwittingly controversial and exceedingly divisive, former president (POTUS) Donald Trump Jr. expects a trial holding him accountable for numerous crimes Manhattan has accused him of. From sexual misconduct and rape to financial embezzlement, the long-awaited trial for him has captivated the public eye, while simultaneously causing people to become confused at the odd forms of his charges. 

An indictment serves as a formal setting to notify a defendant that they have committed a crime while listing the charges against them. Importantly, a grand jury of around 16 to 23 individuals examines any evidence for a crime, leading them to follow through with any further legal repercussions. This admittedly does not include potential jail time or anything of the sort, simply a form to legally say a person committed a crime.

This difference between an indictment and a conviction remains one to heed, as the confusion causes much conflict as to what the next steps within the investigation look like for Trump. Namely, a conviction offers a clear indication of a defendant’s guilt, rather than the ambiguous concept of someone simply committing the crime. 

Former POTUS Trump has wrangled with the confusing implications of the law since his first breakthrough within the political sphere. Particularly, after his two-time impeachment—the first president to ever do so on a short list of individuals who made the list—thousands of Americans falsely believed that it would bar him from his seat in the office.  

“Educate yourself on what you’re voting for. All NC students will be able to vote relatively soon, and it’s important to be an informed voter. read anything and everything that you can, and not only from one source. even if you can’t see the effects of your vote immediately, it’s imperative to the future of the country that you cast yours with discretion,” magnet junior Bianca Orfila-Molinet said.

This, of course, remains indicative of the lack of knowledge natural-born Americans notoriously carry for their nation, but still an important distinction to make. The indictment and impeachment incidents consistently become Venn diagrams of one another within  Trump’s life, for an impeachment federally holds someone responsible for the misconduct or any suspicion of crimes; several akin it to a federal version of an indictment, harping on the fact that the continuation with guilt through the burden of proof. 

Ultimately, the confusion bubbles up even more with the lack of implementation and meeting of the Manhattan grand jury previously discussed, causing rumors to circle about potential corruption becoming involved. This highlights the key aspect that while the indictment does not mean that a defendant also carries guilt, it causes a chain of reaction that could very well lead to them behind metal bars. Also, considering the extensive list of charges that Trump could face, the stakes for him could grow unbelievably tall in the face of a looming presidential election. One cannot run for president after committing a felony, after all. 

“It makes me feel pretty scared. A former president is supposed to have the interests of the American people in mind. Whichever side of the aisle you’re on, we can probably all agree that the position of the presidency shouldn’t be filled by just anyone and that nobody is above the law,” Orfila-Molinet said.