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Trump won’t testify in personal trial
Donald Trump won’t take the stand in his personal prison trial, after his protection legal professionals rested their case on Tuesday morning after calling simply two witnesses.
The previous president beforehand mentioned he would “completely” testify in his hush cash trial, telling reporters final month:
I’m testifying. I inform the reality, I imply, all I can do is inform the reality. And the reality is that there is no such thing as a case.
Trump turned extra noncommittal in a later interview with Newsmax, the place he mentioned solely that he would testify “if it’s essential”. Trump’s authorized spokesperson, Alina Habba, mentioned yesterday:
We all know he needs to testify. He’s prepared, he’s in a position, he’s nothing to cover in any respect. He’s completely prepared to inform the reality.
Trump has repeatedly falsely claimed that he’s not allowed to testify due to a court-imposed gag order. In reality, decide Juan Merchan’s order doesn’t in any means cease Trump from testifying.
Authorized consultants have broadly recommended Trump testifying would virtually actually be a mistake, given his monitor report of constructing self-incriminating feedback.
Key occasions
Abstract
Donald Trump’s legal professionals rested their protection on Tuesday morning, with out the previous president himself testifying. The jury has been despatched residence and instructed to return subsequent Tuesday, within the meantime court docket will resume at 2.15pm ET as we speak when prosecutors and the protection will focus on the directions that can be given to jurors earlier than they begin deliberating.
Right here’s a recap of the newest developments:
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Trump declined to testify at his personal prison trial. Trump had beforehand railed about being silenced and falsely claimed he was not allowed to testify, however in the end elected of his personal volition to not take the stand in his personal protection.
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Trump was joined by an enormous entourage of supporters, together with his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, former appearing legal professional basic Matt Whitaker, former Florida legal professional basic Pam Bondi, actor Joe Piscopo and Republican members of congress.
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The trial resumed earlier Monday with continued cross-examination of Robert Costello, whom the protection has used to attempt to discredit the previous president’s one-time fixer, Michael Cohen. Costello was a protection lawyer with whom Cohen met after federal authorities raided his lodge room and condominium. Cohen informed jurors that he was leery of Costello, who had described a detailed relationship with Trump ally Rudy Giuliani. Cohen mentioned he didn’t belief Costello, involved that something he mentioned would get to Giuliani and thus, Trump.
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Listed here are the important thing takeaways from the trial on Monday. Cohen, the prosecution’s most necessary witness, noticed his testimony finish on Monday and Costello’s conduct on the stand virtually spun the courtroom into chaos, and prompted a rebuke from the decide.
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Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger confirmed emails Costello despatched to Cohen during which he repeatedly dangled his shut ties to Giuliani within the aftermath of the FBI raid. In a single electronic mail, Costello informed Cohen: “Sleep nicely tonight, you may have buddies in excessive locations,” and relayed that there have been “some very optimistic feedback about you from the White Home”.
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Decide Merchan informed jurors to return on Tuesday 28 Could for closing arguments. Merchan mentioned he would additionally announce his directions to jurors the following day and anticipated that they might then begin deliberating.
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Donald Trump Jr defended his father’s choice to not testify. “There’d be completely no motive, no justification to try this in any respect. Everybody sees it for the sham that it’s,” he mentioned at a information convention alongside different Trump allies close to the courthouse.
No cameras are allowed contained in the courtroom whereas proceedings are beneath means, however a courtroom sketch artist has captured this morning’s scenes.
Donald Trump Jr was joined by a bunch of Trump allies that included Republican state leaders, lawmakers, state attorneys basic at a information convention close to the courthouse.
“We’re right here as a result of we’re buddies of Donald Trump, the president of the US, and when a good friend has bother, buddies have his again,” mentioned Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, AP reported.
If they’ll go after the previous president of the US of America, who has the flexibility and the monetary sources to struggle again, what occurs to the common American.
Per AP, Texas congressman Troy Nehls, sporting a tie with a sample of pictures of Trump holding the American flag, mentioned:
They don’t need him on the poll … That is 5 weeks in a courtroom when he ought to be out reaching the American folks and telling the American folks what he wish to do for this nation.
Hugo Lowell
Exterior the courthouse, Donald Trump Jr attacked a query about why his father didn’t testify in his personal protection:
Why would you justify this madness? You don’t topic your self to that. You’re getting in a kangaroo court docket, nothing extra nothing much less. There’s completely no motive or justification to try this in any respect. Everybody sees it for the sham that it’s.
Trump legal professionals requested decide to dismiss trial
Donald Trump’s legal professionals on Monday moved to have decide Juan Merchan dismiss the case earlier than jury deliberations, arguing that there was no proof that Trump had dedicated the crimes.
The protection argued that the case rests on the testimony of a witness, the estranged former Trump fixer Michael Cohen, who has a well-documented historical past of mendacity.
“There is no such thing as a means that the court docket ought to let this case go to the jury counting on Cohen’s testimony,” Trump lawyer Todd Blanche mentioned outdoors the presence of the jury, including that with out Cohen’s testimony “there is no such thing as a case”.
Merchan reserved judgment on deciding on their request, however the chance that he grants it is vitally distant. Merchan, addressing Blanche, mentioned:
You mentioned that his lies are irrefutable, however do you suppose he’s going to idiot 12 New Yorkers?
Donald Trump earlier refused to reply a reporter’s query about whether or not he wished to create a unified reich.
The query referred to a video that appeared on Trump’s Reality Social account that included the phrases “unified reich” amongst hypothetical information headlines if he wins the November election. The textual content seems within the background of a 30-second clip that makes staple Trump marketing campaign guarantees, reminiscent of closing the border and mass deportations, and it could have been lifted from Wikipedia, AP stories.
Joe Biden’s re-election operation mentioned the video is additional proof of the ex-president’s dictatorial intent if he’s returned to the White Home. Biden-Harris marketing campaign spokesperson James Singer mentioned in an announcement final evening:
America, cease scrolling and concentrate. Donald Trump will not be enjoying video games; he’s telling America precisely what he intends to do if he regains energy: rule as a dictator over a ‘unified reich’.
Trump posts a brand new advert foreshadowing a second Trump time period that claims he’ll create a “UNIFIED REICH,” echoing Nazi Germany pic.twitter.com/z4ZmMSWuRH
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) May 21, 2024
In an announcement, Trump’s marketing campaign press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, blamed the posting of a video that included the phrase “unified reich” on a 3rd social gathering, and a mix-up by a staffer:
This was not a marketing campaign video, it was created by a random account on-line and reposted by a staffer who clearly didn’t see the phrase, whereas the President was in court docket.
Trump won’t testify in personal trial
Donald Trump won’t take the stand in his personal prison trial, after his protection legal professionals rested their case on Tuesday morning after calling simply two witnesses.
The previous president beforehand mentioned he would “completely” testify in his hush cash trial, telling reporters final month:
I’m testifying. I inform the reality, I imply, all I can do is inform the reality. And the reality is that there is no such thing as a case.
Trump turned extra noncommittal in a later interview with Newsmax, the place he mentioned solely that he would testify “if it’s essential”. Trump’s authorized spokesperson, Alina Habba, mentioned yesterday:
We all know he needs to testify. He’s prepared, he’s in a position, he’s nothing to cover in any respect. He’s completely prepared to inform the reality.
Trump has repeatedly falsely claimed that he’s not allowed to testify due to a court-imposed gag order. In reality, decide Juan Merchan’s order doesn’t in any means cease Trump from testifying.
Authorized consultants have broadly recommended Trump testifying would virtually actually be a mistake, given his monitor report of constructing self-incriminating feedback.
Decide instructs jury to return subsequent Tuesday
Hugo Lowell
Decide Juan Merchan tells the jury he intends to adjourn Donald Trump’s prison trial now, resuming subsequent Tuesday.
At the moment, you’ll hear summations of the attorneys. And the following day, you’ll hear my jury cost after which I anticipate you’ll start your deliberations sooner or later on Wednesday.
Merchan instructs either side to return at 2:15pm ET, the place they’ll tackle jury directions. This half is essential – it’s going to more likely to get to how the jury must interpret Donald Trump’s alleged intent to commit a second crime by falsifying enterprise information.
The jury has left the courtroom, and Merchan is off the bench.
Protection rests
Robert Costello is off the stand.
The protection rests.
Trump legal professional Emil Bove requested concerning the electronic mail during which Robert Costello informed Michael Cohen to let his considerations be recognized.
“Was that you just pressuring Michael Cohen to do something?” “No, under no circumstances,” Costello mentioned.
Was Costello simply giving him choices, Bove pressed? “Precisely.”
“Did you ever stress Michael Cohen to do something?” “I didn’t,” Costello replied.
“Did you ever have management over Michael Cohen?” Costello smiled and mentioned, “Completely not.”
Trump legal professional Emil Bove is asking Robert Costello about whether or not Michael Cohen agreed for him to be his legal professional.
Each time Costello’s colleague requested Cohen concerning the retainer, “‘Michael, have you ever signed the retainer but?’, he had an excuse,” he mentioned.
“Have been you involved that you just have been representing Michael Cohen however he hadn’t signed a retainer settlement?” “Sure, sir,” Costello replied.
It appears that evidently Bove is making an attempt to recommend that Cohen’s wariness towards Costello signifies flakiness and thus, unreliability. Therefore the query about whether or not Cohen had ever signed a retainer; Bove was making an attempt to indicate that Cohen was stringing Costello alongside, as a means of undermining his character.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger has wrapped up her cross-examination of Robert Costello and Trump legal professional Emil Bove is again up on the podium once more.
Bove is pointing to an electronic mail from 20 April 2018 that mentioned “I can be on the group” and featured a quote from Michael Cohen expressing how excited he was to have Costello on board; this seems to be a draft announcement or press launch.
Costello had despatched this electronic mail to his son, apparently out of pleasure over representing Cohen.
(Context: Cohen has mentioned that he by no means agreed for Costello to symbolize him, nor did he. That is early on, round when Costello met with Cohen; the previous Trump fixer described being leery of Costello due to his tight relationship with Rudy Giuliani.)
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