Trump's mugshot expected to be taken; his lawyers against camera in courtroom

Washington: Former US president Donald Trump is expected to have his mugshot taken on Tuesday when he is scheduled to appear before a Manhattan court in New York to face criminal charges in connection with hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016.

A mugshot is a photograph taken by law enforcement agencies when an individual is arrested and booked, Trump, 76, the first former US president to face a criminal charge will appear before Judge Juan Merchan at 2.15 pm EST (11.45 pm IST) on Tuesday.

He was indicted last Thursday by a federal grand jury in connection with USD 1,30,000 hush money payments to Daniels before the US presidential election in 2016 to cover up an alleged affair.

Trump, a Republican, has announced that he will run for the next presidential election in 2024. He has denied the charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.

“We’ll have a mugshot. For the record, it will be the manliest, most masculine, most handsome mugshot of all time,” Hogan Gidley, former White House Deputy Press Secretary and his campaign spokesperson told The Time Magazine in an interview. “I can say that definitely, before having even seen it,” he said.

New York law was amended four years ago to prohibit the release of booking photos unless police determine there is a legitimate law enforcement purpose to release a person's image. It is highly unlikely Trump's mugshot would meet that threshold.

According to the Albany Times Union, New York law was amended four years ago to prohibit the release of booking photos unless police determine there is a legitimate law enforcement purpose to release a person's image.

“It is highly unlikely Trump's mugshot — an image of one of the world's most photographed individuals — would meet that threshold,” the daily reported.

The booking photo of Trump may not be made public unless he decides to release it.

Many political analysts said that the mugshot might be used as a political tool. Alan Dershowitz, a former Harvard Law School professor, said during interviews with multiple news outlets last week that Trump should put his booking photo on T-shirts and posters and sell them to support his 2024 presidential campaign, The Union newspaper reported.

Trump is expected to surrender before the Manhattan court on Tuesday, after law enforcement would take a mugshot of him, as is a mandatory procedure in all such arrests and surrenders. Media reports said Trump is expected to be charged on 30 counts.

Trump’s lawyers on Monday urged Judge Juan Merchan not to allow cameras inside the courtroom.

“We submit that the media request should be denied because it will create a circus-like atmosphere at the arraignment, raise unique security concerns, and is inconsistent with President Trump’s presumption of innocence,” his lawyers wrote in a letter said to the MerChan.

According to media reports, cameras will not be allowed in the courtroom, but a group of credentialled reporters will be allowed inside, in keeping with a longstanding New York state law.

“It’s unclear if Trump will be photographed walking into the courthouse—a classic perp-walk moment—or will instead be taken in through a private entrance,” the reports said.

Following his arraignment, Trump is expected to fly back to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. His office has announced that he would address a press conference later in the night.

“Trump wants to turn his indictment into a larger symbol, connecting himself with conservative Americans who feel targeted or alienated for their views,” the report said.

“The fears and concerns of a weaponised government are now personified in Donald Trump,” Gidley was quoted as saying. “He can take that pulpit, that podium, and point out the fact that we are all victims of a government that has targeted each of us because we attend the wrong rallies, like the wrong tweets, go to the wrong movies,” he said.