May 21st 2024.
In New York City, the hush money trial involving former president Donald Trump has reached a pivotal point. After several days of testimony, both sides have rested their cases and the jury is now preparing to deliberate and determine the fate of the accused.
Trump's team, led by lawyer Todd Blanche, concluded their defense with the testimony of a former federal prosecutor who aimed to discredit the prosecution's key witness. This witness, along with 19 others, were called by the Manhattan district attorney's office over the course of 15 days. With the trial now on pause for a week, closing arguments are set to take place on May 28th.
While Trump had previously expressed a desire to take the stand and defend himself, his legal team ultimately decided against it. This is a common strategy in criminal cases, as the burden of proof lies with the prosecution and the defense does not need to prove anything.
Despite denouncing the trial as a political attack, Trump has used the proceedings to promote his own political agenda. He has been fundraising off the trial, criticized current President Joe Biden, and even brought in his own supporters to make an appearance.
The prosecution has accused Trump of attempting to influence the 2016 presidential election by illegally paying to suppress negative stories about him. Trump has pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence throughout the trial. This is the first of four criminal cases against Trump that has gone to trial, and it may be the only one before the 2024 presidential election.
As the trial unfolded, the jury was given insight into the workings of the tabloid world and the efforts made by Trump's allies to keep damaging stories out of the public eye. They also heard from Stormy Daniels, a porn actress who detailed an alleged sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies.
The prosecution's case primarily focused on business transactions and internal records from the Trump Organization, which labeled payments to Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen as legal expenses. The prosecution argued that these were actually reimbursements for a $130,000 payment made to Daniels on Trump's behalf to keep her quiet.
Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, a low-tier felony in New York state. If convicted, he could face up to four years in prison, although there is no guarantee of jail time.
Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., has defended his father's decision not to take the stand, stating that there was no reason or justification for him to do so. He also called the trial a "sham."
The defense has made a long-shot request for the charges to be thrown out before the jury begins deliberations, claiming that the prosecution has failed to prove their case. However, this request is unlikely to be granted.
The final witness for the defense was Robert Costello, a former federal prosecutor who had a falling out with Cohen. Despite some tension and disagreements between Costello and the prosecution, his testimony did not provide any major revelations.
With both sides having presented their cases, the jury will now have a week to deliberate and come to a decision. The judge has reminded them not to discuss the case until then, and closing arguments will be their last opportunity to hear from either side. The judge has thanked the jury and told them to reconvene in a week's time.
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