Lawyers clash over admissibility of Costello testimony
After the jury was excused, lawyers began arguing in open court about the admissibility of Costello’s testimony.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger argued that Costello’s testimony should be admitted only to address earlier inconsistent statements. Defense lawyer Emile Beauvais said prosecutors had opened the door to this evidence and said they intended to refute the government’s “pressure campaign” theory.
President Trump looked confused as his defense tried to call Robert Costello.
As the defense tried to call Costello, Trump remained fixated on the document in front of him.
Trump then put down his pen and began to stare slightly ahead with a quizzical, bewildered expression on his face.
Defense calls attorney Robert Costello, who spoke with Cohen.
After brief testimony from the defense paralegal, Trump’s lawyers called Robert Costello.
The lawyer quickly moved on to a side conversation with the judge.
Costello told the grand jury that Cohen told him he had no knowledge of Trump’s payments to Stormy Daniels.
Prosecutors secure confession from Daniel Sitko during cross-examination
On cross-examination, Rebecca Mangold had Sitko admit that the calls came from Davidoff, Hatcher & Citron, LLP, but it was unclear who at the firm called Cohen. There’s no way to know.
Mr Sitko also confirmed that calls to numbers ending in 0000 went unanswered. Mr. Mangold also told Mr. Sitko that he received two calls to his law firm’s voicemail inbox and that it was actually double counting, meaning the caller left a voicemail. I made him admit that it was a missed call.
The point here is that the 75 calls Blanche made between Cohen and Costello weren’t exactly what they were due to double counting, failed connections, and the possibility that the calls were from someone else. That’s it.
Daniel Sitko’s testimony aims to address the telephone issue discussed
Daniel Sitko’s testimony is used to populate a graph that totals all phone calls that have already been admitted into evidence through previous testimony.
This table organizes all of the calls as a way to help the jury understand all of the different calls, what they mean, and where they fall in the case.
the defense calls the first witness
Daniel Sitko, a paralegal at Blanche’s office, takes the stand. The testimony is expected to be short, as Blanche said she would use Sitko to fill out medical records related to the phone calls.
Prosecution rest
Report from Manhattan Criminal Court
Prosecutors dropped their case.
Next, the defense may call witnesses.
Trump lawyer cross-examines Michael Cohen again
Todd Blanche has slammed Cohen, saying it was Trump’s fault that he was disbarred from practicing law.
Cohen says his involvement with Trump ‘changed my life’
Cohen responded to prosecutors’ questions about how “painful” he was as a result of speaking out against President Trump. In one response, Mr. Cohen said his life had been “turned upside down.”
Asked if he had been “attacked” for speaking out against Trump, Cohen said, “Yes.” Asked if it was “painful” for him and his family, he answered “very painful.”
“My life has changed forever,” Cohen said, adding that he lost his law license, his business and financial security, and his family’s well-being as a “direct result” of speaking out against the former president.
Cohen says there is ‘no doubt’ that President Trump gave final approval for payment to Daniels
During questioning by prosecutors this afternoon, Cohen said there was “no doubt” in his conversations with President Trump that the then-candidate gave the OK to pay Daniels.
He said it was impossible for him to make the payment without President Trump’s signature because he wanted to make sure the $130,000 was paid back.