No handcuffs and a not-guilty plea when Trump surrenders, his lawyers say

Tacopina said Trump and his defense team were surprised by news of the indictment.

 Former US President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign stop to unveil his leadership team, at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina, US, January 28, 2023.  (photo credit: REUTERS/SHANNON STAPLETON/FILE PHOTO)
Former US President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign stop to unveil his leadership team, at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina, US, January 28, 2023.
(photo credit: REUTERS/SHANNON STAPLETON/FILE PHOTO)

Former President Donald Trump will not be handcuffed when he surrenders next week in New York to face criminal charges, his defense lawyer Joe Tacopina said on Friday.

Susan Necheles, another Trump attorney, said the former president will plead not guilty.

Tacopina said, while Trump was not expected to be cuffed, he likely would be fingerprinted and undergo other routine protocols when going to court on Tuesday to face charges in an indictment handed down by a grand jury probing a hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

"I don't know how all this is going to go down," Tacopina cautioned in an interview. "There's no textbook to see how you arraign a former president of the United States in criminal court."

"There's no textbook to see how you arraign a former president of the United States in criminal court."

Joe Tacopina

Necheles declined to comment on details of the surrender.

 US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, US, November 13, 2020 (credit: REUTERS/CARLOS BARRIA)
US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, US, November 13, 2020 (credit: REUTERS/CARLOS BARRIA)

The Manhattan District Attorney's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump and defense team surprised

Tacopina said Trump and his defense team were surprised by news of the indictment.

"Initially we were all shocked. Didn't believe they were actually going to go through with this because there's no crime here," Tacopina said.