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Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial will be turned over to the jury to begin its deliberations on a verdict on Wednesday after a after a marathon day in court yesterday in which the defense and prosecution concluded their closing arguments.
The defense closed out their summation by listing 10 reasonable doubts about the case against the former president.
Trump lawyer Todd Blanche hammered the credibility of Mr Trump’s ex-“fixer” Michael Cohen, the trial’s star witness, labeling him the “GLOAT”, or “Greatest Liar of All Time”.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass meanwhile methodically laid out the chronology of the case over a four-and-a-half hour address, tying key pieces of “smoking gun” evidence together over a thorough timeline.
Mr Trump stands accused of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment made to the adult entertainer Stormy Daniels in October 2016 to ensure her silence about a sexual encounter she alleges she had with him a decade earlier. The defendant denies both the affair and the charges.
The prosecution hopes to convince jurors that the misdemeanour offenses should be elevated to felonies because they were carried out to subvert a presidential election.
Alex Woodward is covering the trial for The Independent live from court.
Trump mocked over ‘ignorance’ of standard criminal trial process
Donald Trump is being mocked after he launched into a fiery rant about a very simple, common process in a criminal trial.
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 07:00
Trump suggested at fundraiser he ‘would have bombed’ Moscow and Beijing
Gustaf Kilander has the story:
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 05:00
What prosecutors need to prove for a jury to convict Trump
To find him guilty of those charged felonies, jurors must find that prosecutors have proven, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Mr Trump not only falsified business records but did so in order to commit or conceal another crime.
Alex Woodward has the details:
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 04:00
Freedom Caucus chair loses Trump endorsement despite showing support at hush money trial
The ex-president’s insertion into the Republican primary race playing out in Virginia’s 5th congressional district is a sign of the heightened level of loyalty GOP members of Congress are now expected to show to their party’s presumed nominee for president, despite (or possibly due to) the onslaught of criminal charges Mr Trump now faces.
“Bob Good is BAD FOR VIRGINIA, AND BAD FOR THE USA,” Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday of the man who had personally journeyed miles to seek his favor just a few days ago.
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 03:30
Biden campaign sends Robert De Niro and Jan 6 first responders to Trump’s hush money trial
Both became outspoken critics of Mr Trump after the Capitol riot. This year, Mr Dunn ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Maryland.
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 03:00
Biden campaign mocks tongue-tied Trump reading from ‘emotional support paper’
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 02:40
After latest Trump attack, E Jean Carroll’s lawyer hints new lawsuit is ‘on the table’
On the eve of closing arguments in his hush money trial, the former president took to Truth Social to fire off a “Happy Memorial Day” message to all “the human scum” and then added to his growing list of defamatory statements about Ms Carroll.
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 02:00
Watch: Trump is ‘an authoritarian who answers to and serves only himself’
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 01:30
Trump departs with no remarks for media
Trump left at 8pm without speaking to media. He raised his left fist and pumped it as he walked out.
Jason Miller told poolers earlier that Trump had “private event” at 8:30pm and was unlikely to speak to cameras.
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 01:02
Classified documents case: Judge blocks Jack Smith’s request for gag order against Trump
A judge blocked Special Counsel Jack Smith’s request to bar Donald Trump from making statements that could pose a threat to law enforcement in his classified documents case.
Federal Judge Aileen Cannon wrote that Mr Smith’s motion was “wholly lacking in substance and professional courtesy,” as it didn’t give Trump’s defense team enough time to respond. Mr Smith made the request on Friday, asking the judge to limit the comments Mr Trump could make about the law enforcement officers who searched his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Oliver O’Connell29 May 2024 01:00
