The framework a Manhattan jury will use to deliberate the charges against former President Trump and reach a verdict is expected to be unveiled by Judge Juan Marchan on Wednesday.
The instructions come nearly a week after they were originally scheduled to be released and after weeks of speculation about the specific violations that may have occurred when a jury considers the first-degree criminal falsification of business records charge against the former president.
NY v. Trump: Defense says prosecutors ‘failed to meet burden of proof’, ex-president ‘innocent’
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has charged Trump with 34 counts of first-degree falsification of business records. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Jury instructions are expected to come after a day of closing arguments by New York prosecutors and Trump’s defense team.
Former US President Donald Trump listens alongside his daughter Tiffany Trump as defense lawyer Todd Blanche delivers closing arguments in Trump’s criminal trial, where he is charged with falsifying business records to hide payments made to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels in 2016, at a state court in Manhattan, New York City, US, on May 28, 2024. In this courtroom sketch, (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)
Prosecutors had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump falsified records to cover up a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election and to silence him about an alleged affair with Trump in 2006. The former president has always maintained his innocence.
Court will resume at 10 a.m. Wednesday for jury instructions.
Former defendant’s lawyer President Trump On Tuesday, Bragg told jurors he was innocent and had not committed any crime, saying he “has not met his burden of proof. Period.”
“President Trump is innocent. He committed no crime. The district attorney has not met his burden of proof. Period,” Blanche said.
Mr Blanche added that the case was “simple” and “not a conviction”.
“This case is about documents, this is a case on documents,” Blanche said. “This case is not about an encounter with Stormy Daniels 18 years ago. This case is not about a non-disclosure agreement that was signed eight years ago.”
Tiffany Trump and Eric Trump’s wife Lara Trump sit in the front row next to former US President Donald Trump in a state courtroom sketch taken on May 28, 2024 in Manhattan, New York City, as defense lawyer Todd Blanche delivers closing arguments in Trump’s criminal trial, where he is charged with falsifying business records to hide payments made to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels in 2016. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)
Branche said the allegations concerned whether Trump had “any” involvement in payments to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, that appeared on his personal financial books.
“The answer? The record is accurate, there was no fraudulent intent, and there was no conspiracy to influence the 2016 election,” Branche said. “The evidence doesn’t add up.”
NY v. Trump: Prosecutors say they presented “strong evidence” against former president
Branche told jurors they could not convict Trump based on Cohen’s testimony, recalling that Trump’s former lawyer “lied on the stand.”
“The records were not false and there was no intent to defraud,” he said.
Branche said no invoices were sent directly to Trump and that Cohen billed him for “services provided to him.” He also told jurors that Cohen provided services as Trump’s personal lawyer in 2017.
Defense lawyers said there was a consulting agreement, even if the work was minimal, and described that as “how a consulting agreement works.” Bransch said Cohen was “available to answer the call of President Trump.”
Branche also explained that the check to Cohen did not bear Trump’s signature.
Defense attorney Todd Blanche delivers closing arguments in the criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump, who is accused of falsifying business records to hide payments made to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels in 2016, before Judge Juan Marchan, presiding, at a state court in Manhattan, New York City, USA, on May 28, 2024. In this courtroom sketch, (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)
“You can’t convict President Trump just because he’s seen the invoice…that’s beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Mr Blanche also slammed the prosecution’s “star witness”, Michael Cohen, saying “he is the embodiment of reasonable doubt”.
“He has lied repeatedly … he has bias and motives,” Blanche said, adding that jurors should want witnesses to tell the truth.
“Michael Cohen is over the moon,” Blanche said. “He’s the biggest liar of all time… You can’t trust a word he says… If you can just put those lies aside for a second, that’s enough to walk away.”
Branche noted that Cohen lied to both houses of Congress, to federal and state judges and to his family.
“You can’t send someone to prison based on what Michael Cohen said,” Branche said, adding that the sentence must be based on documents and witness evidence. “That would lead to very quick and easy acquittals.”
Mainstream media pundits have slammed the first week of testimony against the former president by Trump trial witness Michael Cohen. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)
Meanwhile, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass delivered closing arguments that lasted more than five hours on Tuesday, saying prosecutors had presented “strong” evidence in their case against Trump.
Steinglass said Trump’s intent to defraud was “as clear as can be” and argued it would have been much easier to just pay Stormy Daniels directly. But he said Trump hatched a complex scheme and everything he and his associates did was “shrouded in lies.”
“The game was about cover-up, and all roads inescapably lead to the person who benefited most from it – the defendant, former President Donald Trump,” Steinglass said.
Former US President Donald Trump looks on as prosecutor Joshua Steinglass testifies. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)
Steinglass defended the prosecution’s use of Michael Cohen as a witness, telling jurors: “I’m not asking for sympathy for Michael Cohen. He made his own bed.”
“But you can’t blame him for making money off the only thing he had left – knowledge of the inside workings of the Trump Organization,” he said.
“We did not select Michael Cohen as a witness, we did not have him in the witness shop,” Steinglass said. “The defendants selected Michael Cohen as their fixer because he was prepared to lie and deceive on their behalf.”
Steinglass ended his five-hour presentation by repeating Trump’s infamous line: “Donald Trump can shoot someone on Fifth Avenue at rush hour and get away with it.”
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Trump’s lawyers challenged the statement and the challenge was upheld.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
