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NEW YORK (AP) — Jury deliberations in Donald Trump‘s criminal hush money trial began Wednesday after the panel received instructions from the judge on the law governing the case and what they can take into account in evaluating the former president’s guilt or innocence.
The historic deliberations followed Tuesday’s whirlwind of closing arguments, which stretched into the evening hours as prosecutor Joshua Steinglass accused Trump of intentionally deceiving voters by allegedly participating in a “catch-and-kill” scheme to bury stories that might obliterate his 2016 presidential bid. Steinglass further suggested that Trump operated with a “cavalier willingness” to hide payoffs and did so in a way that left “no paper trail.”
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The defense approached its summation much in the same way it approached cross-examination: by targeting the credibility of star witness Michael Cohen. Defense lawyer Todd Blanche branded Trump’s former lawyer as “the greatest liar of all time” while urging jurors to quickly acquit his client.
Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, charges which are punishable by up to four years in prison. He has denied all wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.
At the heart of the charges are reimbursements paid to Cohen for a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in exchange for not going public with her claim about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump.
Prosecutors say the reimbursements were falsely logged as “legal expenses” to hide the true nature of the transactions.
The case is the first of Trump’s four indictments to reach trial and is the first-ever criminal case against a former U.S. president.
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— Rallies and debates used to define campaigns. Now they’re about juries and trials
— Biden’s campaign shows up outside Trump’s trial with Robert De Niro and others
— Another big name will be at the courthouse in Manhattan on Wednesday: Harvey Weinstein
— Trump hush money case: A timeline of key events
JURY REQUESTS PECKER’S TESTIMONY AND MORE
The jury in Donald Trump’s hush money trial has made four requests in a note to the judge.
It wants to hear former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker’s testimony regarding the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting where he agreed to identify negative stories for Trump, a phone call he says he had with Trump about the Karen McDougal deal, and his decision not to sell the rights to McDougal’s story to Trump.
The jury also wants to hear Michael Cohen’s testimony about the same Trump Tower meeting.
Judge Juan M. Merchan said it would take some time to gather the requested testimony. Then he’ll bring jurors into the courtroom and have it read to them.
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— Another big name will be at the courthouse in Manhattan on Wednesday: Harvey Weinstein
— Trump hush money case: A timeline of key events
JURY REQUESTS PECKER’S TESTIMONY AND MORE
The jury in Donald Trump’s hush money trial has made four requests in a note to the judge.
It wants to hear former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker’s testimony regarding the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting where he agreed to identify negative stories for Trump, a phone call he says he had with Trump about the Karen McDougal deal, and his decision not to sell the rights to McDougal’s story to Trump.
The jury also wants to hear Michael Cohen’s testimony about the same Trump Tower meeting.
Judge Juan M. Merchan said it would take some time to gather the requested testimony. Then he’ll bring jurors into the courtroom and have it read to them.
JURY SENDS FIRST NOTE TO JUDGE
The jury in Donald Trump’s criminal trial has sent its first note to the judge. The note’s contents have not yet been made public but will be read in court soon. The jury, which is deliberating in secret in a side room, indicated it had a note by ringing a courtroom bell at 2:56 p.m., about 3½ hours into deliberations.
While deliberating, juries can only communicate with the judge by note. They may involve questions such as requests to hear portions of testimony or rehear certain instructions.
STUCK WAITING AT THE COURTHOUSE, TRUMP RANTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Donald Trump’s complaints on social media about the hush money case persisted Wednesday as the jury deliberated.
“IT IS RIDICULOUS, UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND UNAMERICAN that the highly Conflicted, Radical Left Judge is not requiring a unanimous decision on the fake charges against me brought by Soros backed D.A. Alvin Bragg,” he wrote. “A THIRD WORLD ELECTION INTERFERENCE HOAX!”
Despite his declaration, any verdict in the case has to be unanimous: guilty or not guilty.
