(NEW YORK) — Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
May 13, 8:58 AM
Members of public wait overnight for seat in courtroom
Several members of the public waited overnight to secure a spot in the courtroom for Michael Cohen’s testimony, traveling from as far as Los Angeles for the momentous day in court.
Michael Powers told ABC News that he joined the line at 2:30 p.m. yesterday to secure his spot in court, though he enlisted the help of professional line sitters to hold the spot overnight. He rejoined the line at 5:00 a.m.
“It’s history in the making,” Powers said. “This isn’t gonna happen very often.”
Powers said he prioritized seeing Michael Cohen’s testimony due to its importance to the prosecution’s case.
“I find him credible” Powers said. “He’s lied in the past, but he lied for Donald Trump in my opinion, so I think he’ll be a good witness.”
Other members of the public waited overnight without the use of line sitters, including Chris Sagastizabal, who joined the line at 6:45 p.m. on Sunday with two friends.
“I changed my work schedule,” Sagastizabal said.
Five members in the public have been seated in the courtroom this morning, with several others seated in a nearby overflow room.
May 13, 7:59 AM
Cohen arrives in court
Michael Cohen has arrived at the lower Manhattan courthouse ahead of today’s expected testimony.
Proceedings are scheduled to get underway at 9:30 a.m. ET.
May 13, 7:01 AM
Star witness Michael Cohen expected to take the stand
Michael Cohen, who for nearly a decade was Donald Trump’s trusted adviser, personal attorney, and self-described “attack dog with a law license,” is scheduled to take the stand this morning as the prosecution’s star witness in Trump’s criminal hush money trial.
According to prosecutors, Cohen was in the room in when Trump and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker agreed to a catch-and-kill scheme to hide negative information about Trump from 2016 voters, and Cohen himself made a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels to buy her silence about an alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump. The former president, who has denied the encounter took place, is on trial for allegedly falsifying business records related to his company’s reimbursement to Cohen in 2017.
But Cohen’s value to the prosecution’s case could be endangered by the disbarred lawyer’s credibility issues. Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to tax evasion, campaign finance allegations, and lying to Congress in what Cohen says was an effort to protect Trump. The former president’s lawyers have also argued that Cohen perjured himself again when he testified at Trump’s civil fraud trial last year, and accuse Cohen of making his livelihood off books and podcasts that antagonize Trump.
Cohen is the final key witness in the prosecution’s case, after which the defense will present its case.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.