Jury deliberations in Donald Trump ‘s criminal hush money trial began on 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.
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Quick Read
- Jury begins deliberating in Trump’s criminal hush money trial
- Deliberations Begin: Jury deliberations in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial commenced after Judge Juan M. Merchan provided instructions on the applicable law and factors for evaluating the case.
- Charges Overview: Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, linked to reimbursements for a $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, aimed at concealing an alleged 2006 sexual encounter.
- Prosecution’s Argument: Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass accused Trump of a “catch-and-kill” scheme to bury damaging stories during his 2016 presidential campaign, suggesting Trump operated with a “cavalier willingness” to hide payoffs without leaving a paper trail.
- Defense’s Argument: Defense lawyer Todd Blanche targeted the credibility of star witness Michael Cohen, calling him “the greatest liar of all time” and urging jurors to acquit Trump swiftly.
- Jury Instructions: Jurors were instructed on the need to prove that Trump, either personally or in concert with others, made or caused false entries in business records with the intent to commit or conceal another crime, such as violations of federal campaign finance laws, falsification of other business records, and tax law violations.
- Key Legal Concepts: The judge explained accessorial liability, meaning Trump could be held responsible for actions he solicited or commanded others to perform, and the New York law against “conspiracy to promote or prevent election” through unlawful means.
- Evaluating Testimony: Jurors were guided on assessing witness credibility, taking into account factors like consistency, manner on the stand, and motives to lie.
The Associated Press has the story:
Jury begins deliberating in Trump’s criminal hush money trial
Newslooks- NEW YORK (AP) —
Jury deliberations in Donald Trump ‘s criminal hush money trial began on 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.”
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.
JURY DELIBERATIONS UNDERWAY
Jurors in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial have begun deliberating after Judge Juan M. Merchan finished instructing them Wednesday morning on the law governing the case and what they can consider as they work toward a verdict.
The trial is the first-ever criminal case against a former U.S. president.
TWO ELEMENTS PROSECUTORS MUST PROVE FOR A GUILTY VERDICT
Prosecutors are required to prove two elements for each of the counts in order to find Donald Trump guilty, Judge Juan M. Merchan told the jurors.
They must find that he “personally or by acting in concert with another person or persons made or caused a false entry in the records” or a business. Prosecutors must also prove that Trump did so with the intent to commit or conceal another crime.
Prosecutors allege the other crime that Trump intended to commit or conceal was a violation of a state election law regarding a conspiracy to promote or prevent an election by unlawful means.
The alleged unlawful means that jurors must consider are:
EXPLAINING ‘CONSPIRACY TO PROMOTE OR PREVENT ELECTION’
In reading instructions to the jury in Donald Trump’s criminal trial, Judge Juan M. Merchan also went over New York’s law against “conspiracy to promote or prevent election,” a statute that’s important to the case.
Prosecutors claim that Trump falsified business records to cover up alleged violations of the election conspiracy law. The alleged violations, prosecutors say, were hush money payments that really amounted to illegal campaign contributions.
Under New York law, it’s a misdemeanor for two or more people to conspire to promote or prevent a candidate’s election “by unlawful means” if at least one of the conspirators takes action to carry out the plot.
The judge noted that the law also requires that a defendant have the intent unlawfully to prevent or promote the candidate’s election — not just that a defendant knows about the conspiracy or be present when it’s discussed.
In the defense’s closing argument Tuesday, Trump attorney Todd Blanche urged jurors to reject prosecutors’ election conspiracy assertions, insisting that “every campaign in this country is a conspiracy to promote a candidate.”
EXPLAINING ACCESSORIAL LIABILITY
Judge Juan M. Merchan instructed jurors on the concept of accessorial liability, under which a defendant can be held criminally responsible for someone else’s actions.
That’s a key component of the prosecution’s theory of Donald Trump’s hush money case because while Trump signed some of the checks at issue, people working for his company processed Michael Cohen’s invoices and entered the transactions into its accounting system.
To hold Trump liable for those actions, Merchan said jurors must find beyond a reasonable doubt that he solicited, requested or commanded those people to engage in that conduct and that he acted intentionally.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass touched on accessorial liability in his closing argument Tuesday, telling jurors: “No one is saying the defendant actually got behind a computer and typed in the false vouchers or stamped the false invoices or printed the false checks.”
“But he set in motion a chain of events that led to the creation of the false business records,” Steinglass said.
Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies wrongdoing.
HOW TO JUDGE THE TRUTH
The judge in Donald Trump’s criminal trial gave the jury some guidance on factors it can use to assess witness testimony, including its plausibility, its consistency with other testimony, the witness’s manner on the stand and whether the person has a motive to lie.
But, the judge said, “There is no particular formula for evaluating the truthfulness and accuracy of another person’s statement.”
The principles he outlined are standard but perhaps all the more relevant after Trump’s defense team leaned heavily on questioning the credibility of key prosecution witnesses, including the ex-president’s former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen.
Jurors appeared alert and engaged as Judge Juan M. Merchan instructed them Wednesday morning. Several took notes as he recited instructions.
Currently:
— Cohen’s credibility, campaigning at court and other highlights from closing arguments
— 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
