- Title: Legal scholar points to 6 key moments in Trump's 'hush money' trial
- Date: 24th May 2024
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MAY 23, 2024) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAMES SAMPLE, PROFESSOR OF LAW AT HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY, SAYING: "So, who knows what the jury will decide. But where the defense, if they lose, is going to really, really have some regret Is with respect to the testimony of Robert Costello." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAMES SAMPLE, PROFESSOR OF LAW AT HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY, SAYING: "It seems like the decision was made relatively late in the game when he testified before Congress and displayed a willingness to just destroy Michael Cohen, a clear and strong set of statements denigrating Michael Cohen, that's obviously attractive to the defense. Unfortunately for the defense, when Costello got on the stand, he made a series of missteps that would be inexplicable for any witness, much less a seasoned attorney, to sit on the witness stand and object on your own, which you're not allowed to do, to tell the judge to strike certain things, which you're not allowed to do, and to engage in the immature, teenage like behavior of rolling your eyes, you know, in a demonstrative way at the judges rulings in front of the jury, to the point where the judge then had to castigate him in front of the jury, ask the jury to leave, castigate him again, and then resume testimony. I don't think that Robert Costello helped the defense. And if anything, the net result of Costello's testimony, is favorable for the prosecution."
- Embargoed: 7th June 2024 02:08
- Keywords: Court Donald Trump Hush money Michael Cohen Stormy Daniels Trial
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: US
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions,North America
- Reuters ID: LVA00F517423052024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York on criminal charges of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election, with closing arguments set to get underway on Tuesday (May 28).
Hofstra University Law School professor James Sample identified six key moments in witness testimony that could help the jury decide whether Trump is innocent or guilty.
Sample said Daniels, who alleges a 2006 one-night sexual encounter with Trump, proved a strong and adroit witness, helping the prosecution make the case that her story was real through detailed testimony of the alleged encounter. Trump denies an encounter with Daniels.
Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified that he agreed in August 2015 to serve as Trump's "eyes and ears" and watch out for rumors or stories - such as Daniels' - that could potentially damage his presidential bid. That policy led the magazine to pay people who were peddling stories about Trump's sexual behavior, he said -- a practice known as "catch and kill" that prevented them from talking to other outlets.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to falsifying business records to cover up Cohen's $130,000 payment to Daniels before the 2016 election.
Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen also testified at the former U.S. president's trial, asserting he had Trump's "signoff" to buy Daniel's silence. Cohen in 2018 pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance law with the payment.
Cohen testified that Trump told him Daniels’ account would harm his campaign if released. The distinction is critical because prosecutors must prove Trump was fudging records to cover up a crime - such as an illegal campaign contribution - to win a conviction on felony charges.
In their cross-examination, the defense sought to poke holes in Cohen's story, accusing him of lying about a phone call he said he made to Trump's bodyguard Keith Schiller about the agreement with Daniels, which the defense said was actually about prank calls Cohen was getting from a teenager. They also elicited an admission that Cohen had taken money from Trump's company as a form of "self-help".
Sample also pointed to testimony from former Trump aide Hope Hicks and attorney Robert Costello as having the potential to sway jurors.
Legal experts view the case as the least consequential of the four criminal prosecutions Trump faces, but it may be the only one to go to trial before the Republican's Nov. 5 election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden.
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