Five key moments from Donald Trump\u2019s hush money trial<\/p>\n
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington email<\/p>\n
Donald Trump\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Deliberations began late on Wednesday morning after a marathon day in court on Tuesday when the defense and prosecution presented their closing arguments.<\/p>\n
Defense lawyer Todd Blanche hammered the credibility of Mr Trump\u2019s ex-\u201cfixer\u201d Michael Cohen, the trial\u2019s star witness, labeling him the \u201cGLOAT\u201d (or \u201cGreatest Liar Of All Time\u201d) and listed 10 reasonable doubts about the case against the former president.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass meanwhile methodically laid out the chronology of the case over a near-five-hour address, tying key pieces of \u201csmoking gun\u201d evidence together as he reminded the jury the case was about Mr Trump, not Cohen.<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
Mr Trump denies both the affair and the charges and must remain at the courthouse as the jury considers his fate.<\/p>\n
Alex Woodward is covering the trial for The Independent live from court.<\/p>\n
1716997599Watch: Trump says Mother Theresa couldn\u2019t beat these charges in \u2018rigged\u2019 trialOliver O’Connell29 May 2024 16:46<\/p>\n
1716997497\u2018Mother Theresa could not beat those charges\u2019 says TrumpPer the pool:<\/p>\n
Trump is speaking to reporters now in the hallway. He claims the charges are \u201crigged.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMother Theresa could not beat those charges. But we\u2019ll see,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s repeating claims that the charges were brought by Joe Biden and assailing the gag order imposed on him in the case.<\/p>\n
Stand by for video…<\/p>\n
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 16:44<\/p>\n
1716996874Jury begins deliberating, alternates dischargedJudge Merchan tells alternate jurors that he always notes who is paying attention, and \u201cI can honestly say every single one of you was very engaged in this case.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThree I think you went through several notebooks through the course of this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some of the jurors are staying behind briefly to help set up a laptop that has all the evidence that they can review.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
And with that, the first-ever criminal case against an American president is in the hands of his fellow New Yorkers.<\/p>\n
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:34<\/p>\n
1716996341Jury instruction concludesIf a juror wants to speak with me, a meeting will be arranged in court with parties.<\/p>\n
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\u2019t hearing word from the judge from other jurors.<\/p>\n
That concludes the jury instructions.<\/p>\n
Judge Merchan is meeting with attorneys at the bench.<\/p>\n
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:25<\/p>\n
1716996233Some additional rules:<\/p>\n
While you\u2019re 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\u2019re all gathered together, and not discuss the case going to and from court.<\/p>\n
Thus, if for any reason not all 12 are together, please stop deliberating.<\/p>\n
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:23<\/p>\n
1716996175Judge instructs jury forepersonJudge Merchan is instructing the role of the juror\u2019s foreperson, who will sign notes from the jury and ultimately deliver a verdict.<\/p>\n
From our description during jury selection:<\/p>\n
He is a married salesman and a former waiter who lives in Harlem. He likes \u201coutdoorsy\u201d 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 \u201csome\u201d of them.<\/p>\n
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:22<\/p>\n
1716996062\u2018Your verdict on each count you consider must be unanimous’Addressing the jurors directly, Judge Merchan reminded them: \u201cYour verdict on each count you consider must be unanimous.\u201d<\/p>\n
He urged them to discuss the evidence and consult with each other. Listen to each other.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Some jurors took notes; jurors should not be influenced by notes other jurors made. They\u2019re only for personal use and to refresh recollection, and not a substitute of the transcript or testimony or evidence.<\/p>\n
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:21<\/p>\n
1716995752Watch: De Niro calls Trump a \u2018monster\u2019 outside New York hush money trialHere\u2019s more on what is shaping up to be Trump\u2019s best celebrity beef since he called Bette Midler a \u201cwashed-up psycho\u201d in 2019.<\/p>\n
Robert De Niro calls Donald Trump a ‘monster’ outside New York hush money trialOliver O’Connell29 May 2024 16:15<\/p>\n
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\u2019s theories in the \u201cunlawful means\u201d element of state election law.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Under the violations of state and federal tax law element of the \u201cunlawful means\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 16:15<\/p>\n
1716994779The other falsification under unlawful means: Jurors may consider bank records associated with Michael Cohen\u2019s banks to set up shell companies, bank records associated with Cohen\u2019s wire to Keith Davidson, Cohen\u2019s invoices from the shell companies, and 1099 forms that Trump issued to Cohen.<\/p>\n
For tax laws, the judge tells jurors that it is unlawful to knowingly supply or submit materially false information to tax authorities.<\/p>\n
In order to find Trump guilty, the People are required to prove each of the following:<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
If jurors find prosecutors proved each of those two elements, \u201cyou must find the defendant guilty of this crime.\u201d<\/p>\n
Judge Merchan is now listing each count and what they pertain to, e.g. invoices and pay stubs.<\/p>\n
Alex Woodward29 May 2024 15:59<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Five key moments from Donald Trump\u2019s hush money trial Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington email Donald Trump\u2019s historic hush money trial has been turned over to the jury putting the first-ever criminal case against a US president in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3257,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n