NEW YORK (AP) – Donald Trump will return to a Manhattan courtroom Friday as his hush money trial enters its 11th day, concluding a second week of frenetic witness testimony.
Attorney Keith Davidson finished testifying Thursday after spending nearly 6 1/2 hours on the stand over two days. He explained to jurors the details of Michael Cohen’s negotiations with the National Enquirer on behalf of Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, and credited his efforts with Trump’s 2016 victory. He did not shy away from acknowledging on election night that he may have contributed.
Forensic analyst Douglas Dowl also took the stand and testified about what he found on Cohen’s cell phone. Daul said Cohen had about 40,000 contacts stored on his device.
Article continues below this ad
Thursday’s hearing included a contempt hearing over whether the former president violated the gag order again.
Marchan heard from both sides about four more possible violations, including comments Trump made about the jury. Prosecutors said they are seeking only fines for possible violations, not prison terms. No immediate decision was made and it was unclear when Mr Marchand would take control.
Prosecutors said Mr. Trump and others plotted to illegally influence the 2016 election, purchasing and disposing of salacious articles that could damage his campaign.
President Trump is accused of falsifying internal business records to hide hush money payments, including $130,000 given by Cohen to porn actor Daniels, and instead recording them as legal expenses. There is.
Article continues below this ad
President Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
The case is the first-ever criminal trial against a former U.S. president and the first of Trump’s four charges to reach a jury.
— Donald Trump moves most of his White House campaign to New York
Article continues below this ad
— Key Players: Man in Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal trial
–The hush money lawsuit is just one of Trump’s lawsuits.Click here for other information
— Trial begins of financial executives in insider trading case related to President Trump’s media company listing
Article continues below this ad
Cohen’s presence was felt in court through testimony and recordings
Although Michael Cohen has not yet testified in Donald Trump’s hush money case, he has appeared in court, taking part in audio recordings of conversations and witness testimony.
On Thursday, jurors heard a recording of a phone call between Cohen and Stormy Daniels’ former lawyer, Keith Davidson, in which Cohen told Davidson about a conversation he had with someone he believed to be Trump. I heard it.
“I can’t tell you how many times he said to me, ‘You know, I hate the fact that we did that.’ And my comment to him was, ‘But you talked about it. Everybody said it was the right thing to do,” Cohen said on the recording.
Article continues below this ad
The committee also heard a recording in September 2016 of Mr. Cohen briefing Mr. Trump on a plan to purchase articles by former Playboy model Karen McDougall. That particular recording included Cohen detailing a conversation he had with then-Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg about “how we’re going to set the whole thing up with fundraising.”
Mr. Cohen, the prosecution’s star witness, was Mr. Trump’s lawyer and personal fixer at the time.
Jurors will be dismissed early on Friday.
Court proceedings in Donald Trump’s hush money case are scheduled to end early Friday morning as one juror has an important appointment scheduled for later in the afternoon.
Article continues below this ad
Judge Juan M. Marchan announced the schedule change just before adjournment Thursday. Court ends Friday at 3:45 p.m., about 45 minutes earlier than usual.
The trial enters its 11th day and Trump is expected to appear in court.
Donald Trump is scheduled to return to court Friday morning for the 11th day of his hush money trial after a second week of witness testimony.
At Thursday’s hearing, the former president will face yet another contempt hearing over four more alleged gag order violations.
Article continues below this ad
Judge Juan M. Marchan did not immediately rule on prosecutors’ request for sanctions, but he expressed concern about three of the potential violations, including comments President Trump made about the political makeup of the jury. He told his lawyer that he was. Marchan said he was not concerned about President Trump’s comments last week in which he called former Enquirer publisher David Pecker a “nice guy.”
Prosecutors said they were seeking only a fine, not a prison sentence, citing the possible violation.
A gag order prevents Trump from speaking publicly about witnesses, jurors or anyone else involved in the case. He was fined $9,000 Tuesday for nine online posts.
Article continues below this ad