A New York grand jury investigating silent payments on behalf of Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign has shifted focus to the Manhattan district attorney leading the case. Alvin Bragg’s decision to convene the grand jury early this year could lead to the first criminal indictment against a former US president.

Here’s what you need to know about Bragg:

Who is the Manhattan District Attorney?

Alvin Bragg became Manhattan’s first black district attorney in 2022, following his election in November 2021.

What is Bragg’s job as a prosecutor?

The district attorney’s office prosecutes nearly all criminal cases in Manhattan and runs an office of approximately 500 attorneys. A prosecutor is also an important political figure, especially in New York, where cases often involve defendants with enormous wealth, fame and influence.

Are district attorneys elected?

Yes, Bragg won a tough Democratic primary

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What is Bragg’s legal background?

Bragg’s career includes time as a federal prosecutor, an assistant attorney general for the state of New York, and a civil rights attorney who represented Eric Garner’s mother as she pressured New York City officials to be more accountable to the officers and commanders involved in the death of her son in 2014. by a police stranglehold.

Bragg’s campaign included promises to change the office’s culture and joined other progressive prosecutors in aiming to abolish cash bail. Shortly after taking office, he released a public memo promising that the prosecutor would no longer prosecute some minor crimes.

Bragg, who grew up in Harlem, graduated from Harvard Law School.

What you need to know about Bragg’s involvement in a possible Trump impeachment

Bragg inherited a years-long grand jury investigation into hush money paid on Trump’s behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign.

After taking office, Bragg slowed his office’s move to indict Trump and said he was concerned about the strength of the case. That led to a public outcry from two prosecutors who led the investigation and resigned.

But Bragg convened a new grand jury early this year after successfully convicting Trump’s family business of tax fraud. He called that result a strong demarcation line to move on to other parts of the probe.

In general, the grand jury trial is considered extremely beneficial to prosecutors.

The proceedings are closed to the public and there is no judge. Prosecutors call and question witnesses and grand jurors who come from the community can ask questions. Grand jurors may agree that there is enough evidence to issue an indictment, find that there is not enough evidence, or tell the prosecution to bring lesser charges.