Five key moments from Donald Trump’s hush money trial
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Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial has been turned over to the jury putting the first-ever criminal case against a US president in the hands of his fellow New Yorkers.
Deliberations began late on Wednesday morning after a marathon day in court on Tuesday when the defense and prosecution presented their closing arguments.
Defense lawyer Todd Blanche hammered the credibility of Mr Trump’s ex-“fixer” Michael Cohen, the trial’s star witness, labeling him the “GLOAT” (or “Greatest Liar Of All Time”) and listed 10 reasonable doubts about the case against the former president.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass meanwhile methodically laid out the chronology of the case over a near-five-hour address, tying key pieces of “smoking gun” evidence together as he reminded the jury the case was about Mr Trump, not Cohen.
The defendant stands accused of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment made to adult entertainer Stormy Daniels in October 2016 to ensure her silence about a sexual encounter she alleges she had with him a decade earlier.
Mr Trump denies both the affair and the charges and must remain at the courthouse as the jury considers his fate.
Alex Woodward is covering the trial for The Independent live from court.
1716997599Watch: Trump says Mother Theresa couldn’t beat these charges in ‘rigged’ trialOliver O’Connell29 May 2024 16:46
1716997497‘Mother Theresa could not beat those charges’ says TrumpPer the pool:
Trump is speaking to reporters now in the hallway. He claims the charges are “rigged.”
“Mother Theresa could not beat those charges. But we’ll see,” he says.
He’s repeating claims that the charges were brought by Joe Biden and assailing the gag order imposed on him in the case.
Stand by for video…
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 16:44
1716996874Jury begins deliberating, alternates dischargedJudge Merchan tells alternate jurors that he always notes who is paying attention, and “I can honestly say every single one of you was very engaged in this case.”
“Three I think you went through several notebooks through the course of this.”
Some of the jurors are staying behind briefly to help set up a laptop that has all the evidence that they can review.
The alternates are discharged, but Judge Merchan is keeping them around in case anything should happen with the 12, who are now on their way.
And with that, the first-ever criminal case against an American president is in the hands of his fellow New Yorkers.
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:34
1716996341Jury instruction concludesIf a juror wants to speak with me, a meeting will be arranged in court with parties.
He may not be able to respond to that juror, and he may respond by speaking to the entire jury to ensure that each and every juror is here at the exact same time, and so that jurors aren’t hearing word from the judge from other jurors.
That concludes the jury instructions.
Judge Merchan is meeting with attorneys at the bench.
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:25
1716996233Some additional rules:
While you’re here, you will be kept together in the jury room, you may not leave during deliberations, lunch will be provided, phones and devices must be handed to court officers, and you must deliberate only when you’re all gathered together, and not discuss the case going to and from court.
Thus, if for any reason not all 12 are together, please stop deliberating.
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:23
1716996175Judge instructs jury forepersonJudge Merchan is instructing the role of the juror’s foreperson, who will sign notes from the jury and ultimately deliver a verdict.
From our description during jury selection:
He is a married salesman and a former waiter who lives in Harlem. He likes “outdoorsy” activities and gets his news from The New York Times, The Daily Mail, Fox News, and MSNBC. Asked whether he was familiar with the cases against the former president, he said he had heard of “some” of them.
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:22
1716996062‘Your verdict on each count you consider must be unanimous’Addressing the jurors directly, Judge Merchan reminded them: “Your verdict on each count you consider must be unanimous.”
He urged them to discuss the evidence and consult with each other. Listen to each other.
Judge Merchan added that each of them must decide the case for themselves, after fair and impartial consideration with jurors. And not simply because they want the trial to end or because they are outvoted.
Some jurors took notes; jurors should not be influenced by notes other jurors made. They’re only for personal use and to refresh recollection, and not a substitute of the transcript or testimony or evidence.
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:21
1716995752Watch: De Niro calls Trump a ‘monster’ outside New York hush money trialHere’s more on what is shaping up to be Trump’s best celebrity beef since he called Bette Midler a “washed-up psycho” in 2019.
Robert De Niro calls Donald Trump a ‘monster’ outside New York hush money trialOliver O’Connell29 May 2024 16:15
1716995704Judge Merchan has basically been reading through statutes governing each law and is now once against outlining the Federal Election Campaign Act and campaign finance law, which is the first of the prosecution’s theories in the “unlawful means” element of state election law.
It is unlawful for an individual to willfully make a contribution to any candidate that exceeds a certain limit, $2,700, and also unlawful for any corporation to make any contribution of any amount. If that payment had been made even in the absence of a candidacy, it is not considered a contribution.
Under the violations of state and federal tax law element of the “unlawful means” theory: Judge Merchan notes that it is unlawful to knowingly supply or submit materially false information for a tax return and that such conduct is unlawful even if it does not result in underpayment of taxes.
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:15
1716994779The other falsification under unlawful means: Jurors may consider bank records associated with Michael Cohen’s banks to set up shell companies, bank records associated with Cohen’s wire to Keith Davidson, Cohen’s invoices from the shell companies, and 1099 forms that Trump issued to Cohen.
For tax laws, the judge tells jurors that it is unlawful to knowingly supply or submit materially false information to tax authorities.
In order to find Trump guilty, the People are required to prove each of the following:
That on February 14 2017 and thereafter, Trump personally or by acting in concert with a person or other persons made or contributed to false invoices and that Trump did so with an intent to defraud with the intent to commit another crime.
If jurors find prosecutors proved each of those two elements, “you must find the defendant guilty of this crime.”
Judge Merchan is now listing each count and what they pertain to, e.g. invoices and pay stubs.
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 15:59
