Defense calls exactly two witnesses, one a para legal about a spreadsheet and then Costello, apparently a lawyer. There were emails read he sent to his law partner, indicating he was going to be on the TEAM. Not Cohen mind you, TRUMP.
he was PINING to be Trump's lawyer.
But on the stand, literally sneering at the judge who said 'sustained' to something prosecution brought up, Abbott, er, sorry, Costello says JEEZ?
The judge goes EXCUSE ME, would you repeat that? STRIKE THAT, Abbott, sorry, Costello replied.
CLEAR THE COURT, the Judge replied and some reporters go THIS IS AN OPEN COURT, no, we will stay. Judge replies CLEAR the court NOW.
So they finally left and the judge had a nice talk with Costello, You are contemptuous and more like that.
Then the people come back in and this time the amount of court cops were doubled inside the court because of the outrageous behavior of Costello.
THAT WAS TRUMP'S DEFENSE.
Abbott would have turned over in his grave to hear a Costello act like that in court.
@sonhouse saidThere is a mountain of evidence to convict, but considering our justice system treats this man like the 2nd coming of Jesus, I won't try to predict what will happen.
Defense calls exactly two witnesses, one a para legal about a spreadsheet and then Costello, apparently a lawyer. There were emails read he sent to his law partner, indicating he was going to be on the TEAM. Not Cohen mind you, TRUMP.
he was PINING to be Trump's lawyer.
But on the stand, literally sneering at the judge who said 'sustained' to something prosecution brought ...[text shortened]... MP'S DEFENSE.
Abbott would have turned over in his grave to hear a Costello act like that in court.
@mchill saidI can't even follow what the hell it's all about.
There is a mountain of evidence to convict, but considering our justice system treats this man like the 2nd coming of Jesus, I won't try to predict what will happen.
Are they questioning trump sleeping with Stormy?
Or is it the payment of hush money they're denying?
Or is is that the hush money came from an election trust (or something) which they claim is false?
Is it all three?
Didn't we know 8 years ago that trump was sleeping with a porn star?? I seem to recall that somehow???
I would presume it's a form of corruption, mishandeling of finances which is at the centre of this trial, but I really can't be sure.
@shavixmir
This trial could have been finished years ago but Bill Barr, Trump's pet AG squashed it from being considered for years which is why it is happening now and not 5 or 6 years ago.
The problem was not he gave hush money to a porn star, it was the coverup behind it, trying to disguise it as a legal fee given to Cohen, the dude who went to jail for lying to the FBI, they tried to make it look like an income payment instead of a refund to Cohen. That was the coverup. If they had just paid off Stormy there would have been no case but Trump was too stupid to just do that so he comes up with BS like I didn't want to cause pain to my wife but that was BS also and to make it look like income the repay went from 130,000 to over 400,000 to cover Cohen's income tax. The evidence was stated by Cohen and of course he was compromised by all his lies but backed up by actual paperwork uncovered by the prosecution. So now it is going to be up to the jury next week and it looks like there was a Trump buddy on the jury so only one innocent vote and Trump walks.
@sonhouse saidHow do you know a trumpite got through?
@shavixmir
This trial could have been finished years ago but Bill Barr, Trump's pet AG squashed it from being considered for years which is why it is happening now and not 5 or 6 years ago.
The problem was not he gave hush money to a porn star, it was the coverup behind it, trying to disguise it as a legal fee given to Cohen, the dude who went to jail for lying to the FB ...[text shortened]... eek and it looks like there was a Trump buddy on the jury so only one innocent vote and Trump walks.
@shavixmir
The only indication of that was one of the Jurists was smiling broadly to Trump during the trial and we just took that to mean the dude hinting, Ok boss, we got you covered.
That is the only indication and may be totally wrong but whatever, all it takes is one holdout on the jury so he walks.
If that happens he is free to do his dirty work trying to get reelected and he WILL be using that to go SEE I TOLD YOU SO, TOTALLY INNOCENT. DEMS WEAPONIZING THE COURTS.
It will be a tiny bit different IF he is pronounced guilty however🙂
@wildgrass saidTrump team sees that prosecutors did not prove their case . So, would you see a need to take the stand?
Over and over again in the trial trump complained he was being gagged by the judge and his voice was silenced.
Then, on his own accord, he never took the stand? That's literally where you go if you want to have your voice heard in a criminal trial.
@AverageJoe1 saidConstant complaining about the gag order, even filed an appeal to SCOTUS. Unnecessary?
Trump team sees that prosecutors did not prove their case . So, would you see a need to take the stand?
No. He maintains the false narrative that he's being peeeeeersecuted.
The post that was quoted here has been removedI rate that possibility as low. Trump is facing 34 separate and distinct counts, all of which must be decided by the jury unless the judge dismisses some after closing arguments (I rate it as a possibility that some of the ones based on false ledger accounts might be so dismissed but regard it as almost certain the ones involving signed checks and Cohen's invoices will go to the jury). A compromise verdict seems far more likely than a hung jury.
And all verdicts, either guilty or not guilty, must be unanimous in a NY criminal trial. In order to get a hung jury here, the jury would have to inform the judge it was hopelessly deadlocked and he would then have to declare a mistrial. All indicators are that Judge Merchan would be extremely unlikely to do so willingly and would almost certainly send them back for further deliberations.
I expect a resolution by verdict one way or the other.
@sonhouse saidCan you post a link to who said this?
@shavixmir
The only indication of that was one of the Jurists was smiling broadly to Trump during the trial and we just took that to mean the dude hinting, Ok boss, we got you covered.
That is the only indication and may be totally wrong but whatever, all it takes is one holdout on the jury so he walks.
I don’t find any reports out there. Did it actually happen?