Legal scholar explains the theories driving Trump indictments

+ Americans are dying at higher rates than similar high-income countries US Edition - Today's top story: Prosecuting a former president is not an easy decision. A criminal law professor explains why [View in browser]( US Edition | 13 June 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Depiction of abortion on TV has changed post-Dobbs]( - [Colonial legacy hangs over botanical research collections]( - [Pat Robertson led shift toward political Christian media]( Lead story As former president Donald J. Trump prepares to enter a plea this afternoon in federal court on charges he violated national security laws, a bedrock principle of law is also on trial – no person is above the law. That principle traces its roots in English law to medieval legal jurist Henry de Bracton and essentially says that the law makes the king, and therefore the king must be subject to the law. But in the case of prosecuting a former U.S. president, law professor Ronald Sullivan writes that [other considerations must be weighed by a prosecutor]( before leveling charges against a public figure. Those include the appearance of political revenge or using government agencies to pursue political advantage. “Our criminal justice system relies on the citizenry believing in its legitimacy,” Sullivan explains. “Widespread belief that the prosecution of a former president is being used as a political tool undermines that legitimacy.” [[Read the best of our coverage of Trump, Biden and the rest of what’s going on in Washington in our Politics Weekly newsletter.](] Howard Manly Race + Equity Editor Today's newsletter supported by [readers like you.]( Former President Donald Trump speaks out against his federal indictment on June 10, 2023, during a speech in Georgia. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images [Prosecuting a former president is not an easy decision. A criminal law professor explains why]( Ronald S. Sullivan Jr., Harvard University One of the bedrock principles of the American legal system is that no one is above the law. When it comes to indicting a former US president, political factors must also be weighed. Health + Medicine - [Annual numbers of excess deaths in the US relative to other developed countries are growing at an alarming rate]( Patrick Heuveline, University of California, Los Angeles New research shows that preventable deaths are increasing in the US at the same time that life expectancy keeps dropping. Politics + Society - [Silvio Berlusconi had a complex relationship with US presidents: Friend to one, shunned by another]( Jason Davidson, University of Mary Washington The former Italian prime minister died on June 12, 2023, at the age of 86. Throughout his terms in office he cultivated closer ties with the US – with mixed results. - [A jury of ex-presidents? No, but Trump’s fate will be decided by 12 citizen peers, in a hallowed tradition of US democracy]( Stefanie Lindquist, Arizona State University Like all criminal defendants, Trump will enjoy the protection that a jury will offer from abuse by government prosecutors. - [The overlooked story of the incarceration of Japanese Americans from Hawaii during World War II]( Olivia Tasevski, The University of Melbourne When US President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, he paved the way for the incarceration of Japanese Americans on the mainland and Hawaii Ethics + Religion - [How Pat Robertson changed Christian media and made it politically influential]( Jason C. Bivins, North Carolina State University A scholar of religion and politics explains how Robertson led the way in blending religion with political commentary and paved the way for a wider influence of Christian media on American culture. Science + Technology - [Glass: Neither a solid nor a liquid, this common yet complicated material is still surprising scientists]( John Mauro, Penn State; Katelyn Kirchner, Penn State Two glass researchers explain how glass is made, the unique properties of glass and how those properties have allowed it to be a useful material to humans for thousands of years. Environment + Energy - [Colonialism has shaped scientific plant collections around the world – here’s why that matters]( Daniel Park, Purdue University The colonial era profoundly shaped natural history museums and collections. Herbaria, which are scientists’ main source of plant specimens from around the world, are no exception. Arts + Culture - [After ‘Rapper’s Delight,’ hip-hop went global – its impact has been massive; so too efforts to keep it real]( Eric Charry, Wesleyan University Hip-hop traveled far after being birthed by Black Americans in US cities. The journey hasn’t always been smooth. - [How TV shows have grappled with a post-Dobbs America]( Stephanie Herold, University of California, San Francisco Though abortion is appearing in more plot lines, many programs still aren’t accurately depicting what the reality of abortion access looks like in America today. From our international editions - [The ‘good fire’: Prescribed burning can prevent catastrophic wildfires in the future]( - [The materials used by humans now weigh more than all life on Earth – here’s four graphs that reveal our staggering impact on the planet]( - [Succession on the Tibetan plateau: what’s at stake in the battle over the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation?]( Today's graphic [A map of the United States divided by county. The counties are color-coded according to their expected annual loss from wildfires.]( From the story, [Why insurance companies are pulling out of California and Florida, and how to fix some of the underlying problems]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [Instagram]( • [LinkedIn]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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