In an interview on NBC, a lawyer for Donald J. Trump, Joseph Tacopina, said that as expected, Trump will not plead to the charges and is instead prepared to go to trial. He reiterated that Trump will surrender to authorities so that he can be formally charged in a New York courtroom.
To a lawyer this is confusing and misleading. The only purpose of arraignment is for the defendant to be formally advised of the charges against him and to plead guilty or not guilty. If the plea is guilty the next hearing is sentencing. The way you go to trial is by pleading not guilty. A defendant can stand mute to an indictment but then the judge enters a plea of not guilty on the defendant’s behalf. One way or the other the defendant pleas. If it’s a trial that he wants then the judge will enter a not guilty plea for him.
