Highlights: US federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected Donald Trump's request for criminal immunity. Decision reopens the way for his trial in Washington on charges of trying to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump will appeal the appeal decision, his spokesperson Steven Cheung announced to AFP. The big favorite in the Republican primaries, for the November presidential election, is seeking through multiple appeals to postpone his various criminal trials as late as possible, at least after the election. The decision does not include any mention of a resumption of the procedural acts in this case, suspended due to the appeal.

A US federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected Donald Trump's request for criminal immunity, reopening the way for his trial in Washington on charges of trying to illegally overturn the results of the election...

United States: appeals court rejects Trump's request for criminal immunity

Former US President Donald Trump, in New York court, for the opening of his trial, October 2, 2023 © Brendan McDermid / AP

By: RFI Follow

“

We weighed the interest claimed by former President Trump in immunity against the vital public interest in allowing this procedure to continue

,” explain the three judges of the court of appeal in their decision confirming that pronounced at first instance in December.

“

For the purposes of this criminal case, former President Trump has become Citizen Trump, with the same protections as any other defendant. But any immunity under the executive branch, which could have protected him when he was president in office, no longer protects him against these prosecutions

,” they write.

The decision does not, however, include any mention of a resumption of the procedural acts in this case, suspended due to the appeal, and which led the judge who will preside over the proceedings to the trial, initially scheduled for March 4, to announce on Friday the postponement indefinitely.

Judge Tanya Chutkan indicated that “

the court would decide on a new date

” if, once the question of immunity was decided, the file returned to its hands. It was she who rejected his request for immunity in December, considering that no text protected a former president against criminal prosecution.

Trump will appeal the decision

The big favorite in the Republican primaries, for the November presidential election, is seeking through multiple appeals to postpone his various criminal trials as late as possible, at least after the election. Donald Trump will appeal the appeal decision, his spokesperson Steven Cheung announced to AFP.

During the debates before the court of appeal on January 9 on his appeal for immunity, he predicted “chaos in the country” if the American justice system did not drop the proceedings against him.

United States: appeals court rejects Trump's request for criminal immunity

United States: appeals court rejects Trump's request for criminal immunity

Trump will appeal the decision

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