Jury deliberations in Donald Trump ‘s criminal hush money trial are expected to begin Wednesday after the panel receives 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.
Here’s the latest:
Quick Read
- Judge begins instructing jury in Trump’s hush money case on how to weigh the charges
- Jury Deliberations: Jury deliberations in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial are expected to begin Wednesday after receiving instructions from the judge on the law governing the case and what they can consider in evaluating Trump’s guilt or innocence.
- Closing Arguments: Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass accused Trump of intentionally deceiving voters by allegedly participating in a “catch-and-kill” scheme to bury stories that might damage his 2016 presidential bid. Defense lawyer Todd Blanche targeted the credibility of star witness Michael Cohen, urging jurors to acquit Trump.
- Charges: Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, which are punishable by up to four years in prison. He has denied all wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.
- Reimbursements: At the heart of the charges are reimbursements paid to Cohen for a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, which prosecutors say were falsely logged as “legal expenses” to hide the true nature of the transactions.
- Historic Case: This is the first of Trump’s four indictments to reach trial and is the first-ever criminal case against a former U.S. president.
- Judge’s Instructions: Judge Juan M. Merchan reminded jurors to set aside any personal bias and decide the case fairly based on evidence and the law, emphasizing that Trump is not required to prove his innocence.
- Social Media Post: Trump posted on his social media network before heading to court, making another all-caps rant about the trial, the judge, and Michael Cohen, calling it a “KANGAROO COURT!” and falsely claiming he was barred from defending himself.
- Trump’s Court Arrival: Trump arrived at the courthouse with his son, Donald Trump Jr., joining him in the courtroom. Trump did not stop to speak to reporters upon arrival.
The Associated Press has the story:
Judge delivering instructions to jury in Trump’s hush money case on how to weigh charges
Newslooks- NEW YORK (AP) —
Jury deliberations in Donald Trump ‘s criminal hush money trial are expected to begin Wednesday after the panel receives 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 follow 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.
JUDGE TO JURORS: PERSONAL BIAS MUST BE PUT ASIDE
The judge in Donald Trump’s criminal trial reminded jurors Wednesday morning of their solemn responsibility to decide Trump’s guilt or innocence, gently and methodically reading through standard jury instructions that have a special resonance in the former president’s high-profile case.
“As a juror, you are asked to make a very important decision about another member of the community,” Judge Juan M. Merchan said, underscoring that — in the eyes of the law — the jurors and Trump are peers.
Merchan also reminded jurors of their vow, during jury selection, “to set aside any personal bias you may have in favor of or against” Trump and decide the case “fairly based on the evidence of the law.”
Echoing standard jury instructions, Merchan noted that even though the defense presented evidence, the burden of proof remains on the prosecutor and that Trump is “not required to prove that he is not guilty.”
“In fact,” noted Merchan, “the defendant is not required to prove or disprove anything.”
READING OF JURY INSTRUCTIONS UNDERWAY
The jury in Donald Trump’s hush money trial has entered the courtroom and taken their seats. Ahead of deliberations, Judge Juan M. Merchan has begun instructing the panel on the law that governs the case and what they can consider as they work toward a verdict.
Jurors will not receive copies of the instructions, but they can request to hear them again as many times as they wish, Merchan said.
“It is not my responsibility to judge the evidence here. It is yours,” he told them.
Trump leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes as Merchan told jurors that reading the instructions would take about an hour.TRUMP ARRIVES AT
COURT
Donald Trump’s motorcade has arrived at the courthouse in lower Manhattan as proceedings in his hush money trial are set to resume.
He did not stop to speak to reporters as he typically does before entering court each day.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., joined him in the courtroom Wednesday morning and was in the first row of the gallery behind the defense table, sitting alongside Trump lawyer and spokesperson Alina Habba.
TRUMP POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA BEFORE HEADING TO COURT
Donald Trump posted again on his social media network before he left Trump Tower to head to the courthouse Wednesday morning, making another all-caps rant about the hush money trial, the judge and Michael Cohen.
He called it a “KANGAROO COURT!” and falsely claimed that Judge Juan M. Merchan barred him from defending himself by claiming that his alleged actions were taken on the advice of his then-lawyer, Cohen. Trump’s lawyers in March notified the court that they would not rely on that defense.
“THERE WAS NO CRIME, EXCEPT FOR THE BUM THAT GOT CAUGHT STEALING FROM ME!” Trump said, apparently referring to Cohen. He added: “IN GOD WE TRUST!”
Trump is prohibited under a gag order from making out-of-court statements about witnesses in the case, and he was previously penalized for comments about Cohen.
It’s unclear if Trump’s latest rant would rise to the level of a violation — or if prosecutors would seek to have the former president sanctioned for it. The judge has also indicated that he’d give Trump leeway in certain instances to respond to attacks from Cohen.
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
