(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:
May 21, 2:50 PM
Judge considers whether Daniels payment was campaign expense
The defense is arguing a candidate’s expenses arising from controversies are not necessarily campaign expenses.
Merchan suggests the language should be as follows: “If the payment would have been made, even in the absence of the candidacy, the payment should not be treated as a contribution.”
Prosecutors have argued the payment to Stormy Daniels should have been labeled a campaign expenditure because it was meant to protect Trump’s electoral prospects in 2016
Merchan reserves his decision on the issue but suggests he would include both proposed sentences from the parties.
May 21, 2:43 PM
Judge says he wants jury instructions ‘as easy as possible’
Defense attorney Emil Bove argued that Judge Merchan should tell the jury it must find Trump acted willfully in order to convict.
The district attorney’s office argued the jury must find Trump acted unlawfully, not necessarily criminally.
Trump was alert and attentive at the start of this afternoon’s session, whispering to his attorney Todd Blanche. Now his eyes are closed.
Judge Merchan, ticking through each of the proposed edits to the jury instructions, appears to be focused on making sure the instructions are clear and understandable for the jury.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for the jury,” he said.
May 21, 2:37 PM
Judge declines to tell jury about lack of contribution limits
Judge Merchan declined to add a sentence to the jury charge that there was no limit on Trump’s personal contributions to his political campaign in 2015 and 2016.
Defense attorney Emil Bove argued that the line would have told the jury that Trump “could have paid this out of his personal expenses without issue.”
But prosecutors argued that the line was “extraneous” because Trump made the Stormy Daniels payment reimbursement from the Trump Organization, not out of his personal funds.
“It has nothing to do with the case,” Colangelo said.
May 21, 2:30 PM
Defense argues prosecutors have failed to show criminality
Defense attorney Emil Bove began the conference by arguing for a jury instruction describing the alleged conspiracy as civil, not criminal.
According to Bove, prosecutors have failed to show that the alleged conspiracy had a criminal object.
“It’s only a crime if it has a criminal object,” Bove said. “To be a criminal conspiracy, there must be a criminal object.”
May 21, 2:24 PM
Parties are back in court for pre-charge conference
Judge Merchan is back on the bench, and the parties — including Trump — are seated at the counsel tables for the pre-charge conference that will help determine the jury instructions.
Trump, seated next to attorney Susan Necheles, has a pile of papers in front of him.
May 21, 2:17 PM
‘This next couple hours is very important,’ Trump says
Donald Trump, addressing the media ahead of this afternoon’s pre-charge conference, told reporters, “This next couple of hours is very important.”
Judge Juan Merchan is preparing to hear arguments from attorneys regarding the instructions the judge will provide jurors about the law and evidence in the case when the jury begins deliberating next week.
Trump declined to answer questions from the reporters about why he decided not to testify in the case, and whether he is nervous about a possible conviction.
May 21, 10:35 AM
Judge will hold pre-charge conference this afternoon
Judge Merchan asked the parties to return to the courtroom at 2:15 p.m. ET. for the previously scheduled pre-charge conference.
It will provide an opportunity for the parties to weigh in on the instructions Merchan will provide the jury about the law and evidence in the case.
Trump and his entourage then filed out of the courtroom.
May 21, 10:23 AM
Judge adjourns proceedings until next Tuesday
Following the defense resting its case, Judge Juan Merchan told the parties that “summations will not be quick” and that they “will take at least a day.” Jury instructions will then take at least an hour, he said.
“At the end of the day, I think the best thing we can do is to adjourn now until next Tuesday. At that time you will hear summations from the attorneys,” Merchan said.
Merchan says that deliberations could begin as early as next Wednesday.
Merchan told the jury he opted to delay the summations because of this week’s abbreviated schedule and his belief that “it’s always ideal or best not to break up summations.”
Trump’s eyes were closed, his head titled back, as Merchan instructed the jury to return on Tuesday.
The jury then left the courtroom.
May 21, 10:15 AM
Defense rests its case following Costello testimony
“You still have a lot of animosity against Michael Cohen,” prosecutor Susan Cohen Hoffinger asked Michael Cohen’s then-legal adviser Robert Costello after displaying emails from 2018.
“I don’t have animosity but –,” Costello replied before being cut off.
“Yes or no,” Hoffinger said.
Hoffinger then asked Costello bluntly if he was trying to “intimidate” Cohen regarding his 2018 congressional testimony.
“Intimidate Michael Cohen?” Costello asked incredulously.
“Yes, that’s my question,” Hoffinger repeated firmly.
“Ridiculous, no,” Costello responded.
Hoffinger then concluded her cross-examination, which was followed by a brief redirect.
“Your honor, the defense rests,” the defense team told Judge Merchan.
Former President Trump did not end up taking the stand in his own defense.
May 21, 10:06 AM
Jurors see Costello emails critical of Cohen
Seeking to painting a picture of the machinations behind what Michael Cohen called a “pressure campaign” to keep him in the Trump fold as investigators closed in on him, prosecutor Susan Hoffinger displayed an email from Michael Cohen’s then-legal adviser Robert Costello to Costello’s law partner in which Costello wrote that Cohen “continues to slow play us and the president — is he totally nuts???”
“I am in a golf tournament tomorrow early and again on Sunday. What should I say to this a—— ? He is playing with the most powerful man on the planet,” Costello wrote.
“That email certainly speaks for itself, does it not, Mr. Costello?” Hoffiner asked.
“Yes it does,” Costello said.
Costello insisted that he was not working to advance Trump’s interests and denied the suggestion that he “lost control” of Cohen.
May 21, 9:55 AM
Costello email discussed getting ‘Cohen on the right page’
Prosecutors displayed an email from Michael Cohen’s then-legal adviser Robert Costello to Costello’s law partner Jeffrey Citron from Aug. 8, 2018, in which Costello shared a link to a Fox News story about Rudy Giuliani joining Trump’s legal team.
“All the more reason for Cohen to hire me because of my connection to Giuliani, which I mentioned to him in our meeting,” he wrote.
In another email, Costello said, “Our issue is to get Cohen on the right page without giving him the appearance that we are following instructions from Giuliani or the President. In my opinion this is the clear correct strategy.”
Questioned on the witness stand about that email, Costello told prosecutor Susan Hoffinger that he wanted “to get everybody on the same page because Michael Cohen had been complaining incessantly that Rudy Giuliani, was making statements in the press that Michael Cohen didn’t approve of.”
Costello told Hoffinger he has other emails clarifying that, “which I’d be delighted to tell you.”
“That’s all right,” Hoffinger replied snarkily.
The gallery laughed, prompting a court officer to yell “Quiet!”
May 21, 9:43 AM
Costello’s cross-examination already appearing tense
Only a few minutes into prosecutor Susan Hoffinger’s cross-examination of Michael Cohen’s former legal adviser Robert Costello, their exchanges are already sounding tense.
Hoffinger attempted to confirm that Costello boasted about his relationship with Rudy Giuliani, but Costello denied he did so during his first meeting with Cohen.
“You are quoting from an email that is much later,” Costello said.
“I am not quoting from an email,” Hoffinger replied.
Hoffinger then asked Costello about his relationship with Giuliani.
“He’s been to your wedding?” Hoffinger asked.
“Yes he was,” Costello said.
May 21, 9:35 AM
Costello retakes the stand
“Let’s get the witness please,” Judge Juan Merchan said after taking the bench.
Michael Cohen’s one-time legal adviser Robert Costello entered the courtroom and took the witness stand to continue his cross-examination.
“Good Morning, Mr. Costello. Welcome back,” Judge Merchan said.
May 21, 9:28 AM
Trump, Don Jr. are in the courtroom
Former President Trump has arrived in the courtroom.
His son Don Jr., accompanying him to this trial for the first time, is seated in the front row of the gallery.
May 21, 9:21 AM
Trump, prosecutors arrive for proceedings
The prosecution team has entered the courtroom for today’s proceedings.
Former President Trump has arrived at the courthouse.
May 21, 8:28 AM
Trump not expected to testify, sources say
Former President Trump is not expected to take the stand in his criminal hush money trial, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.
It’s possible that Trump could make a last-minute decision to testify, so sources caution that nothing is final until the defense rests its case.
Trump’s lawyers have indicated publicly that Robert Costello, Michael Cohen’s one-time legal adviser, is expected to be their last witness before they rest their case today.
May 21, 8:14 AM
Trump’s son Don Jr. expected to attend trial
Former President Donald Trump is expected to be joined by his son Don Jr. in court today.
It would mark the first time Don Jr. has attended the trial.
As has been the case over the last several days in court, a number of Republican lawmakers are expected to attend today’s proceedings in support of Trump.
May 21, 7:29 AM
Costello to resume testimony, defense expected to rest its case
A day after Judge Judge Juan Merchan threatened to remove him from the witness stand, former federal prosecutor Robert Costello will resume his testimony this morning as the second witness in Donald Trump’s defense case.
Costello is expected to be the final defense witness before Trump’s lawyers rest their case today.
Yesterday, Costello told jurors about his meetings and phone calls with Michael Cohen in 2018 after FBI agents raided his office and hotel room. Costello advised Cohen and helped pass messages to the Trump, according to Cohen, but never formally represented him as his lawyer.
“Michael Cohen said, numerous times, that President Trump knew nothing about those payments, that he did this on his own, and he repeated that numerous times,” Costello testified about the hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels that sits at the center of the case.
Cohen told the jury that he lied to Costello about Trump’s involvement in the scheme to use hush-money payments to hide information from voters.
Costello’s reactions to Judge Merchan after taking the stand yesterday afternoon — responding “jeez” to a sustained objection, rolling his eyes at the judge, and appearing to staring him down — prompted Merchan to clear the courtroom before threatening to remove Costello from the witness stand.
While defense lawyers suggested yesterday that they would not call Trump to the witness stand, they will likely have to confirm a final decision about the defendant’s testimony — or lack thereof — before they rest their case.
Judge Merchan has scheduled a charge conference at 2:15 p.m. ET to hear arguments over how to instruct the jury about the law in the case.
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