Jurors in former President Donald Trump’s business records trial dismissed the trial for the day on Wednesday after deliberating for hours and calling for the testimony of David Pecker, the former president’s business records publisher. National Enquirer — Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen.
Before the jury was dismissed Signaled The memo was reportedly addressed to Judge Juan Marchan, who is overseeing Trump’s business records trial. Trump is currently charged with 34 first-degree counts of falsifying business records related to payments he made to adult entertainment star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. He has pleaded not guilty.
Jurors called for testimony about phone conversations between Mr. Pecker, the first person to testify at the trial, and Mr. Trump, whose tabloid newspaper had reportedly engaged in “catch-and-kill” tactics to hide damaging stories about Mr. Trump.
The jury also heard Pecker’s testimony about his decision not to grant and fund the life interest of former Playboy model Karen McDougal, Pecker’s testimony about the Trump Tower meeting, and Cohen’s testimony about the Trump Tower meeting.
The judge has dismissed the jury from deliberations today. The jury will reconvene tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. It appears the jurors will be read the testimony and instructions again tomorrow.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) May 29, 2024
The jury also sent The memo requested that they “re-hear the judge’s instructions.”
Deliberations in the trial began soon after the jury received their instructions from Marchan.
Reports vary as to what exactly Marchan told the jury, who were informed in post-summary instructions that any verdicts they reached on each of the 34 charges “must be unanimous.”
“The verdict on each charge you consider, whether guilty or not guilty, must be unanimous, meaning all jurors must agree with it.”
CNN reported that jurors “would need to unanimously decide whether Trump committed the crimes personally, conspired with others or both to convict him on each charge.”
John Roberts, co-anchor America Report On Fox News, report Marchant told jurors they did not need to be unanimous to convict Trump.
Judge Marchan told the jury they did not need to be unanimous to reach a guilty verdict. Four could agree on one charge, four could agree on another charge, and four could agree on another charge. The judge said he would treat 4-4-4 as a unanimous verdict.
— John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) May 29, 2024
Jonathan Turley, Professor at George Washington University Law School report From the courtroom, Marchan reportedly told jurors, “You don’t have to agree on what happened. You can disagree on what was the crime among the three options. So even if you’re split 4-4-4, he’s going to treat it as unanimous.”
The trial is scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
