Closing argument of the former President Trump’s The hush-money trial in Manhattan on Tuesday focused on a central issue jurors must consider as deliberations near. Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen Will it be trusted?
How jurors respond to the testimony of Cohen, who was disbarred and jailed for tax evasion and false testimony, will be key in determining whether they believe prosecutors proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Trump Attorney Todd Blanche He spent much of his closing argument attacking the credibility of Cohen, the prosecution’s central witness.
Branche called Cohen a “liar in chief” and the “embodiment of reasonable doubt.”
“President Trump cannot be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt based on Michael Cohen’s word. Cohen lied to him. Cohen lied to you.”
During his trial, Cohen admitted to stealing money from the Trump Organization. The defense argued that Cohen’s phone calls with Trump to approve hush money payments to porn stars were false. Stormy Daniels The defense has previously accused Cohen of being an opportunist who has made millions from media deals since turning against Trump.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass In his closing arguments, he said jurors should use their “common sense” when it comes to Cohen’s testimony.
“Michael Cohen is rightly angry that to this day he is the only one to have paid the price for his role in this conspiracy.”
Trump’s defense team also questioned the central theory of the prosecution’s case: that Trump altered bank records to commit a separate crime — that he was trying to conceal information damaging to his campaign and mislead voters ahead of the 2016 election.
Mr. Blanche argued that every political campaign is “a conspiracy to promote a candidate.” He noted that because Ms. Daniels’ allegations appeared on the Internet in 2011, there was no concern that news of the affair would affect the election.
“He has not committed any crime and the district attorney has not met his burden of proof. Period.”
Steinglass fought back in his closing argument, with prosecutors arguing that Daniels’ allegations should have dealt a fatal blow to Trump’s 2016 campaign after the release of the “Access Hollywood” tapes in which he bragged about embracing women.
“Democracy gives people the right to choose their leaders, but it is based on the premise that voters have access to accurate information about the candidates. The purpose of this meeting at Trump Tower was to deny access to that information. It was to manipulate and deceive voters. It was to systematically mislead them.”
Court filings, Hills Ella Lee He noted that the jurors’ energy waned as the closing arguments dragged on.
“Several jurors began looking around the courtroom while prosecutor Joshua Steinglass was making his closing argument. At least one juror was holding his head in his hands and struggling to keep his eyes open. Another was resting his eyes for a few seconds at a time.”
After the prosecution finished its closing argument, the judge Juan Merchan He will provide jury instructions, which both sides have contested, that will determine how jurors interpret the case against Trump.
The prosecution is expected to finish its closing arguments this evening and leave it to the jury to decide, which could happen at any time.
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